It’s Tuesday – in my opinion, the most challenging day of the week. There is nothing wrong with Tuesdays at all. But they often leave me feeling overwhelmed. It’s still early in the week, so the weekend feels far away. And to-do lists often seem impossibly long. But rather than allowing the stress of a Tuesday to win out, I’m learning – slowly, but surely – of the power of silence and stillness.
So, today we reflect on ways to just be still.
I have two resources to share with you today, instead of one. Both are apps.
The first is called the Centering Prayer app. I use this every day as part of my quiet time routine, but it can also be used as a stand alone practice or visited more than once a day. The thing I have really loved about this app is that is provides customizable structure and makes space for silence and stillness. When you open the app, you can adjust it to your needs by choosing prayers, scriptures, sounds, and the length of your stillness (anywhere from 1-99 minutes!). It is based on the teachings of Thomas Keating and has been SUCH a gift to me.
The second is called the Pause app. Jordan uses this app to provide him with a way to pray and reset – especially if anxiety is trying to take hold. This app was developed by author John Eldredge and his team as a way to cultivate a culture of stillness in their lives and in their workplace. This is another customizable option, but is very straightforward. It offers simple statement prayers, quiet pauses, and beautiful images to help calm our weary spirits.
It is easy to jump back onto the hamster wheel as school ramps us – regardless of the way you and your family are learning this year. The hope we have in Christ reminds us that we don’t walk through challenges alone. Stillness reminds us of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, and provides a space to lay our fears and our worries at the feet of Jesus.
As you might know, Moses is one of my favorite people in the Bible. His story is so remarkable, and he, in so many ways, was so ordinary. He was flawed and made mistakes, but his faith was big (at least most of the time). And God used him in mighty ways.
After the first Passover, Moses leads the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt. All seems to be going well until they get to the Red Sea. The Israelites start to fear and complain as Pharaoh and his army approach – they even wish they had stayed slaves and never left Egypt. But Moses says in Exodus 14:14 –
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.
That is a beautiful reminder to me in this season of life. God is for us. He will fight on our behalf. He only asks us to be still.
Whether you use these apps in the morning or at night, while you brush your teeth or walk down the halls, there is an opportunity for us to weave stillness into the fabric of our everyday lives. And I hope it is a gift to you the way it has been for me.
Grace and peace,
Jenny
