Stillness
Making Meaning of the Message
Stillness is the foundation of the practice of presence. God tells us in Psalm 46:10 to “be still and know that I am God.” When we read it, it should become clear to us that it is not a suggestion; it is a command. Therefore, stillness is our foundation. Without it we will not experience God’s Spirit within us. We will not know God in an intimate way. And that is the heart and soul of the practice of presence. The practice teaches us through stillness.
It is only when we become still inside that we connect with our vibrant inner life, which is our inner intelligence, and it comes from God’s Spirit within us. That is what we are looking for. We cannot experience the peace of the present moment without some level of stillness inside. That is what builds our inner confidence, our foundation.
When we’re dealing with any distress, no matter what it is, our first response should be to bring in stillness. By bringing in stillness we get a true perspective of our life now because the screen of our ego is not distorting reality. The practice of presence lets us know that we are not alone and isolated. And the only time we do feel alone and isolated is when we are unconscious, living through memory or anticipation in a compulsively negative thinking state.
Set the Intention
God, please help me to become still so that I may experience your spiritual energy within me.
Practice Presence
Bring in stillness and ask yourself the three questions to gauge your progress:
Am I present now?
How do I feel inside?
Do I have a sense of peace within at some level?
See pages 10–11 of Choosing Presence for the details of this exercise or use the Practicing Presence—A Christian Way app to help you remember to take three conscious breaths or more every hour, to access God’s spiritual energy.
*Heaney, Jim. “Stillness.” Choosing Presence, Turning Stone Press, 2020, pp. 36-37. [Adapted with permission.]
