Psalm 46.10

Shhhhh. Be still.

by Pastor Gary Dreier

“Be still and know that I am God.”  Psalm 46.10

On Thursday I listed the various types of prayer; I promised to talk about “Silence” today. We are so busy, and our minds are so often racing from one thing to another, that we don’t have much time just to sit and be. This kind of prayer is popular now in our culture and the magazines call it “mindfulness.”  For many who practice this “mindfulness,” it is an attempt to empty one’s mind, to lose oneself. For us Christians, however, the purpose of sitting silently before God is to lose ourselves so we can find ourselves resting in God’s protective arms.

This kind of prayer (traditionally called “contemplative prayer”) has been a part of church practices for millennia, but we moderns have gotten out of the habit. But, it is a practice that takes practice! Here are some tips:

Sit comfortably and offer a short prayer like “Dear God, fill me with your love.” Then try (it isn’t easy!) to empty your busy mind and offer all those thoughts to God. When a thought pops back in, watch it go by like a boat on a river and recenter on God. Try it for 5 minutes; then see if over a few weeks you can work up to 20 minutes.

An ELCA Bishop I knew told me “I really never notice any deep experiences when I practice silence, but if I don’t do it for a few days, my family notices it!”

If you try this kind of prayer, remember that the purpose of any prayer is to get closer to God.

Let’s pray. God, if you want me to practice this kind of prayer, give me patience and help me to do it in loving praise of your glory.

As you practice this prayer, you may want to begin and end it with Philippians 4.4-8.