K is for Stillness by Michelle Strutzenberger

 

Photo by my son, Micah Strutzenberger (2022).

As a member of the alphabet that occasionally “keeps it mouth shut,” so to speak, the letter K reminds us that sometimes it is better to choose stillness.

Several Bible verses support this choice. Psalm 46:10 is just one. “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.”

How can stillness lead to a knowledge of God? And then, by extension, to an exaltation of Him?

The most basic definition of stillness is the absence of movement or sound.

If we are seeking to be still in order to know that God is God, we may need to pause from our chores, socializing, exercise, and entertaining.

We might sink onto the sofa with a cup of hot tea and warm blanket. Or we might head out into the countryside for a stride down gravel roads (I realize this involves movement, but wouldn’t you agree that, if done in the right spirit, walking can allow for stillness in our minds?).

As we cease from productivity, we might ask ourselves some questions. Here are just a few that have come to me as I’ve been reflecting on this passage. You will notice these questions are very much linked to my personal experience of God’s goodness. I, of course, do not believe this is always the best way to answer a question about who God is. The best thing we can do is point to Scripture. But sometimes we need the very personal, very individualized reminder of how God has been, and is, and will be at work in our lives:

1.  What specific thing has God done in my life in the past that shows He is worthy of being exalted? I could write a bunch here, but, just briefly, I am reminded of how He carried me through grief after the death of my twin when we were 21. Even today, I am humbly mystified as to how I coped at all with her death, and so can only say it was Him. In ways I cannot fully explain to this day, He helped me through those months and years of anguish.

2.  What specific thing is God doing now in my life that shows He is worthy of being exalted? He keeps rescuing me from myself as I struggle to cope with a painful family problem. I want to escape the pain – run away, numb it, find someone to blame and lash out. And sometimes I do fall into those wrong, destructive responses, until I realize they’re only making things worse, and I cry out to Him. Of course, He always helps – from sending someone to encourage me to giving me the mysterious gift of peace to clearly showing me a small next step. I just need to remember to ask Him for help first, rather than turning to all my rotten alternatives.

3   What specific thing could God do in my life in the future that would show He is worthy of being exalted? Well, of course, none of us knows the future. But one thing I can count on is that He will carry me across this current sea of pain to the other shore. I can trust that this current sea is not a universe. Someday this pain will end. There will be reprieve. Yes, I may face more seas of pain in my life. But I can rest in knowing that for each one, He will be there. He will help me across -- until I finally wade onto the final shore of glorious eternity with Him.

The next time you run across a silent “K,” maybe consider, “Have I taken time lately for the kind of stillness that leads me to exalt God ?”

I hope this encourages you today in some small way, dear fellow writers of the faith.

Blessings

Michelle and her family enjoy hiking mountains and trails together. She is currently sharing a series called, What Growing Up in a Mennonite Family of 10 Taught Me About Survival.