We Are Society, pt. 8—“Be Still”

Contemplative. We practice a slow-down spirituality in a hyper-connected, over-busy, and exhausted world. Recovering ancient practices like silence and solitude, while living with intentional rhythms.

סֶ֫לָה sěʹ·lāh
“Stop (or pause) to listen and reflect”

 “All the unhappiness of men arises from one single fact, that they cannot stay quietly in their own room with their own thoughts.” —Blaise Pascal

We are busier and more productive than ever… but we are increasingly unhappy, and uneasy.

Q: Why are our lives so busy and noisy?
A: Fear

When we’re hurried, we can’t well or well.

“Be Still” in Hebrew—
“stop ,” “cease ,” “stop ,” “a holy withdraw”

The way to liberation from hurry, worry, and spiritual exhaustion to finding rest lies through a decision and a practice. The decision is to release the world and your fate, including your reputation and “success,” into thehands of God. This is not a decision to not act at all, though in some situations it may come to that. It is, rather, a decision concerning how you will act: you will act in dependence on God. You will not take charge of outcomes. You will do your part, of course, but your part will always be chastened by a sense of who is God—not you! –Dallas Willard

Matthew 11:28-29 MSG
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

Luke 5:15-16 NIV
But the news about Jesus kept spreading all the more, so that huge crowds would gather to listen and behealed of their sicknesses. However, he made a practice of withdrawing to remote places in order to pray.

Being Still begins with the Practice of and .

Exodus 14:14
The Lord will fight for you, you have only to be silent.

Zephaniah 1:7
Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near.

“God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer.” —Mother Theresa

Prayer should be on being God.

John 15:4 NKJV
Abide in me, and I in you.

I am a human , not a human .

When We Are Still—
1.    God Reveals to us.

When We Are Still—
2.    God Reveals to us.

Psalm 139:23-24 NLT
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

1 Peter 5:7 NIV
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

When We Are Still—
3. We what God is in and around us.

2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

To the preacher who keeps saying, “We must put God in our lives,” the Master says, “God is already there.” Our business is to recognize Him. —Anthony De Mello

When We Are Still—
4.    It’s “

What seems boring is giving space for God’s and .

Jeremiah 33:3 NIV
Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

ANSWER KEY: ANXIOUS, LOVE, LIVE, SILENCE, SOLITUDE, CENTERED, WITH, BEING, DOING, HIMSELF, OURSELVES, NOTICE, DOING, BORING, VOICE, CREATIVITY