Ignoring Stop Signs

We, as students, as women, and as humans, have the tendency to schedule our lives away.  We are constantly going - always looking ahead at the next thing on our endless list of tasks that need to be performed in the, much too short, 24 hour, day.  Schedules are, of course, an essential part of everyday life, but when we start to plan not only hours, but days, weeks, and even months in advance, a problem starts to arise.

We forget to take time to stop.

It is vital that we take time out of our busy lives to stop.

Stop talking.  Stop moving. Stop planning. Stop thinking. Stop everything. And just be still. 

Many of us probably think that being still is overrated.  We think that we can do it all – see the world, experience everything, and manage it all on our own.  However, we are merely humans, and cannot be anything more, therefore we are unable to be everything, do everything, and see everything, whether we take the time to be still or not. 

It is important that we take the time to acknowledge that we aren’t able to do everything and that by trying, we are not only missing things, but we are ignoring what God wants for us.  God does not want us to constantly plan our lives; He wants us to live them.  And as contradictory as it may seem, in order to lives our lives to the fullest and according to God’s plan, we need to stop them for a few seconds every now and again.  In other words, we need to be still in order to get back on track with God and hear what he wants for us. 

This concept itself may seem easy initially, however, it is one of the hardest things we, as Christians, are called to do.  At times, it can seem almost impossible to totally halt everything in our lives, even if it is only for a few brief moments, but it is at the times when we are busiest that we need to make time to be still. Letting ourselves be still can seem pointless and a waste of time, especially because there are so many things that we think need to be done.  Just forgetting about them for a second can be one of the greatest challenges we face. 

However, with great challenges come great rewards, and this reward is most definitely great. 

By completely being still we are able to fully open ourselves up to God and all of His wonderful gifts.  We are essentially saying “Here I am God. Show me where to go.” When God sees this, He not only hears us loud and clear, but will always show us exactly what we need.  He will allow us to see all of His creation in a new light, and enjoy all that we have been missing.  When we take just a few moments to be still, we are able to see the majesty of the world around us, the beauty of its creator, and a glimpse of the future. 

There is a whole world right under our noses and we are missing more and more of it every day.  So today, make it your mission to stop missing out on your life, and take a minute to be still.  All it takes is 60 seconds out of your day to sit somewhere quiet, shut the doors to your brain, and open the ones to your heart. Whatever God allows to invite itself into your newly open and still heart is exactly what He knows you need.  So don’t just accept it, but use it to live your life the way He wants you to. 

Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.”