One of my favourite practices this year has been my weekly Tai Chi class. The meditative movement and the focus on my breath has been an anchor of peace in my sometimes chaotic weekly routine.
This week my instructor used a new phrase to describe the practice. She said we are “moving into stillness”.
My mind latched onto that phrase and I turned it over for the rest of the class.
You see complete stillness feels elusive for me. That absolute stopping of body, soul and mind. I have too many things to think about and so many tasks to achieve. While I love the phrase in Psalm 46 that says “Be still and know that I am God”, I often feel like I don’t really get there.*
But moving into stillness, that sounds more doable. For it is an intentional movement from my busy, overthinking life towards one that is more still, with more intention and yes, more focus on my breath.
This brings me to the last prayer of my heart which comes from Psalm 23.
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
Psalm 23:2 (AMP)
He leads me beside the still and quiet waters.
From this Psalm I understand that I don’t have to force myself to stillness. For there is the promise that God, himself, will lead us.
We all know that calm waters, have some gentle movement in them; the lap of the waves or the movement of the current. For if they were totally still they would be stagnant. Even the waters, move into stillness.
So today, as we are on the cusp of December with all the busyness that it brings with it, I pray that you will be able to walk with your Father. I pray that you will let him lead you, and I pray that you will allow him to move you into stillness.
Amen
Note: * Psalm 46:10