I Really Don’t LIke Being Still

Sorry I missed posting for a couple of days—I have been on a retreat with our executive team and the place where we were did not have a very reliable internet service.

Speaking of being away—I decided to come back early yesterday. I knew I had to prepare for a series of meetings today and I figured that instead of coming back this morning and trying to cram everything in that I would just come home early and be totally prepared. (I also wanted to see my amazing, awesome, hot, godly wife!)

So I left Gatlinburg right after lunch and was about 30 miles down the road when I noticed a major traffic jam on I-40. (I can hear some of you groaning right now!) I thought, “Probably some road work—we will be moving along in about 5-10 minutes.”

Uh, nope—not even close.

An hour later traffic began moving again. I can honestly say that this was probably one of the most uncomfortable hours of my life. Those of you who know me know I can’t be still. I am a very hyper person, I have to move. Couple that with the fact I am a very results driven person as well—I feel like I have to be doing something, to be making a call, sending an e-mail, going to a meeting. But yesterday I could not really do anything expect for sit in a car on the interstate and listen to horrible talk radio shows.

It didn’t really hit my why I hate being still so much until I was having my quiet time this morning. It is only when I am still and silent that I can really hear the voice of God whispering to my soul—and sometimes that is an uncomfortable thing.

I think many of us would agree that we don’t like being still and we don’t like for things to be silent. That is why we have radios and CD players in our cars—so we can have noise. That is why many of us will turn on the television in our homes even though we have no intention of watching it—so we can have noise. That is why many of us feel like we can’t even go to the restroom without our cell phones—because we want to have noise all around us.

But God speaks to us in Scripture and tells us, “Be still and know that I am God.” He does not say, “Fill your life up with noise and clutter and I will yell over all of it.” I believe there are times when God wants us to just be still, if only for five minutes, so He can communicate to us at an incredibly deep and intimate level.

Trust me—this is easier said that done for someone like me…but I will be trying more—and maybe this lesson will stick so God does not have to stick me in the middle of any more hour long traffic jams!