On Sunday at church, they talked about a verse in the bible that is fairly well known. Psalm 46:10 - the start of it says Be Still and know that I am God! I was listening to it and I thought well, little pat on the back for me. I am still before God often. Relaxing is easy. Then I really thought about it. My body is still, sitting on the couch, sitting outside under the pergola, down at the beach.....But is my heart? Is my mind?

This passage of scripture is written in a time of war and trouble. The context of the reference to being still is about God being our refuge in trouble. It is a call to stop striving and trying to fix it all, it is a call to trust in his might and power. It is a call for us to know that he is God in all circumstances and he has won the battle so we need to be still and stop trying to fight it.

When I thought about if I am truly still, I realised that I very rarely am. Even when I am taking time out in places I consider my quiet places, my mind is often busy. I am a problem solver. I like my i's dotted and my t's crossed. Unfortunately that is not really how life works. Even when I appear still, I am often worrying at the problems in my mind and working out different scenarios.

Yet clearly that is not what God requires of me. God requires me to be still. To trust that he is almighty and that in every circumstance he does not need my help with a solution. He doesn't need me to appear to be resting in him, all the while silently worrying at a problem just in case I come up with a brilliant idea that he didn't think of.

So this week my challenge to myself is to spend some time being still. Actually still and intentionally still in my mind and heart, rather than just not moving.