Psalm 131 says, "...I still my soul and make it quiet, like a child upon its mother's breast; my soul is quieted within me." The psalmist is acknowledging that the world is a tough place to understand sometimes--even to the point of not being able to "see" God at work in them. Things rush at us so quickly, we don't have the time or energy to get a handle on life--instead letting life handle us.
The psalmist has a remedy for this, however. It's stiling the soul. That is, he sets aside all the things flying at him-his doubts, misunderstandings, and ignorance, and just quiets himself. Like a baby at her mother's breast--calm and peaceful.
How does he do it? That isn't told us. But we have experience in stilling the soul. Whether it's listening to the prelude before worship, or hiking through the forest, or reading a devotional book, or playing a musical instrument--we all have developed ways of stepping off the carousel of life and letting God wash over us.
For me, watching water move does the trick. Sometimes I watch the water flow by in a brook, and what I really love is standing on the dock at our house on the big lake and watching the water ripple and wave, and blow around in the breeze. This both clears my mind, and stills my soul.
What does it for you? Is it an activity? A place? A person? Tell me--I'd love to know!
Tomorrow - Listening in the stillness
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