How to "Be Still"

There was a time when summer was a season to rest. When the days got longer, kids were off from school, and time seemed to slow down. Lately, it feels like the summer months can be the busiest of all - with vacations, holidays, and sports schedule.

We understand if you're looking ahead to the fall months and feeling a little bit overwhelmed. Here at Tuscarora our business is rest and relaxation - but even we leave the summer months feeling like we haven't taken the time to ready ourselves for the season ahead.

The Bible makes no question about how important this is. Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God." Being still doesn't come easily to many of us, we have trained ourselves to be active and moving every second of every day. But, if God makes a point of commanding us to Be still, how can we make it possible?

1. Find a time

If you feel like you don't have the time for stillness, it's just because you haven't made the time. Whether it's a weekend away, or five minutes every morning, time that you decide on and build into your schedule is more likely to happen.

2. Find a place

There's a reason people love to vacation in beautiful places - often the right setting can put us in the right frame of mind. If you find a place that's beautiful and peaceful, you are more likely to feel peaceful in it. You're also more likely to find the rest you're looking for. This place can be your bed, a special chair, outside on your porch, in the shower, or even a place like Tuscarora.

3. Relax your body

Maybe to relax your body you need fuzzy slippers, a satin bathrobe, and twelve hours of uninterrupted sleep. Maybe you just don't want to talk to anyone else for a little while. Maybe you just need a deep breath, a cup of coffee, and some time in your Bible. Being still means different things to different people - but without relaxing your body it's really hard to follow the next step.

4. Relax your mind

This can be the most challenging step. Even sitting still with our eyes closed, many of us may feel our minds are going full steam ahead. We can think about our to do list, events we need to attend, and meals we need to make. But relaxing your mind is an important part of stillness, so it's worth trying.

5. Open your heart

This step should naturally follow the rest. Once we are resting our bodies and our minds, and open to the voice of the Lord, He can come in to fill us with the things we need. Though we can achieve physical relaxation on our own, a deeper spiritual relaxation needs to come from time in His presence.

If you are feeling tired and worn out from the work of this season - in the calendar year in life - try to follow this commandment to be still. Approach God with a relaxed body, mind, and heart as the scripture tells us and see how God can prepare you for what's to come!