Stillness

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalm 46:10

Call me crazy if you will, but I really enjoy painting. I’m not talking about painting works of art, although I like doing that kind of painting as well. I’m talking about the “blank canvas” of a room in need of painting. For one thing, I enjoy seeing a room transformed in a few short hours by something as inexpensive as a brush and a bucket of paint. But I think what I like most about painting is the stillness. 

Although painting can be quite physical—up and down ladders, cleaning brushes, moving drop cloths and such—for me it’s a time that I can experience mental and emotional stillness. Actually sitting still can be challenging for me because my attention seems to be scattered in a dozen different directions, but when I am putting paint on a wall, I somehow have the ability to still the chaos that goes on inside my head. And once the chaos is quieted, I am more aware of the presence of God. While my hands are at task, my heart is focused on who God is, His love, His forgiveness, His provision, and His promises. I have some of my best quiet times with God while I am painting. 

Maybe painting isn’t your thing. Maybe you’re better at physically being still than I am, but regardless of how you get there, God is beckoning us to be still and know that He is God. Shut down the electronics, turn off the news, take a walk, paint a room. But don’t miss the opportunity to still your heart before God and take in His greatness. Give Him that place of honor in your life.