Andrew Barsch on "Stillness"

STILLNESS
I. The Command
Psalm 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God”
The Problem - We struggle as individuals and as a culture to be still
Goal – search out ways to break into a life of stillness

II. Ways to Practice Stillness
1. Time in Solitude - Spending time alone with God
A. JESUS’ EXAMPLE - Luke 5:16 – “So He Himself (Jesus) often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.”
(1). Jesus embraced stillness because he knew it brought…
1. Clarity - Be centered on His will
2. Find Peace and Rest
3. Easier to carry God in our hearts when we are with others
(2). Jesus calls disciples into solitude
Mark 6:31-32 - “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place
IF THEY NEED IT WE NEED IT


B. HOW TO START BREAKS OF SOLITUDE
(1). Find a place
a. Get away from distractions
(2). Limit your words
a. Resist the temptation to bring things with you
b. Think about how you spend time with a good friend/spouse
- You don’t usually bring things
- Instead you…
1. Explore new ideas together
2. Talk about future plans
3. Reaffirm our love for each other
- Solitude with God is similar –build intimacy

c. Remember Don’t just talk - Listen too
(3). Rest in God’s presence

2. DEEP LISTENING - Meditation
A. Jesus opened Scripture to His disciples
Luke 24:32 - “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”
B. The Command to Meditate on Scripture
Joshua 1:8 –meditate on the Word day and night
Psalm 77:11-12 – I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord; I will remember you wonders of old, I will meditate on all your work, and muse on your mighty deeds

C. Why Meditate on the Word?
-We are “nourished on the words of the faith” (1 Timothy 4:6)…because…”man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4)
D. Definition of Christian Meditation - “listening for God to speak to our unique situations through words and phrases in a passage”
E. HOW TO MEDITATE ON SCRIPTURE
1. Select a passage
a. Preferably one of current study or teaching
b. Pray for God to speak
2. Read the passage Slowly
a. Aloud – ensures solitude
b. Let sink in – listen for the phrase that touches you most
3. Spend a few minutes in silence
- Ponder the word or phrase
- If you wander refocus
- Notice what your emotions (Joy? Sadness?)
- Tell God your feeling and listen again
- God speaks both intellectually and emotionally
4. Repeat the Process - Goal is to be in God’s presence, not achieve breakthrough
- Be vulnerable to God’s will

3. A CAUTION FOR BEING STILL
A. Luke 11:27-28 (true stillness before God)
(1). Woman Interrupts Jesus’ teaching to shout out her own wisdom
a. We need to be careful that we don’t call out in our time of stillness to share our own wisdom, especially when God is trying to share with us His wisdom
b. We need to be sure we stay still long enough for God to give us the right direction
(2). Jesus confronts her immediately
a. The woman was lucky enough to have Jesus directly there to confront her
b. We need to return in stillness into Christ’s presence, where he will then through pray and the word, show us our direction
Closing:
Through finding a place for solitude and meditating on God’s word, we can bring clarity into our lives and learn the direction God wants us to be moving in. We need to be careful that they we don’t become restless and try to create our wisdom for our situations, but to rely on God’s direction and teaching. When we learn this practice of being still, the peace and rest of God will fill our lives.