BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD

During these days of self-imposed social distancing and isolation, I have had been reflecting on the concept of ‘retreat’. The word ‘retreat’ means to ‘withdraw’ or ‘drawback’ and in many ways all of us have been forced into an involuntary retreat by the threat of Covid 19; a retreat from the world as we know it and a retreat from our friends, neighbours and in some cases family.

The concept of retreat is central to many world religions including Christianity. In Psalm 46 we are told that ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble’ and he says to us’ Be still and know that I am God’ (Ps. 46:1,10)

As Christians we are encouraged to follow the example of Christ who in the midst of his demanding ministry - and even in his darkest hour - took time to ‘withdraw’ or ‘drawback’ and spent time in stillness and solitude.

In Luke Chapter Five we are told ‘Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed’ (v 16). And while we have not intentionally sought out this time of retreat, and may be finding it very difficult, it is also possible to see this time of withdrawal from the world as an opportunity to become closer to God.

As I write this, I can hear the sound of bird song through an open window, whereas two weeks ago that beautiful sound would have been largely drowned out by traffic noise. It is as if, having dialled down the ambient hum of human activity, we can hear more clearly the sounds of the natural world in all its splendid variety – but also the still small voice of God which comes to us not in the deafening sound of earthquake or storm but as a whisper in the silence.

Since closing my doors on the world, I have been taking this opportunity to do a course on Christian Mindfulness. Christian Mindfulness, like other forms of mindfulness meditation, encourages us to focus on the present rather than an uncertain future, but unlike other forms also encourages us to focus on our experience of the presence of God. It is about meditating on our present reality in Christ and simply being in the presence of God. I have not only found it a great help in the midst of current uncertainties but a truly joyful practice.

There are various course and apps to help you do this and I list a couple below, but even if you don’t feel comfortable with the idea of meditation, at the very least, I encourage you to accept that in the midst of this crisis, we are never truly alone and to accept God’s invitation to simply be still and know that he is God.

Resources:

There are a very wide range of resources out there to help with Christian meditation but I will only mention those that I use myself. These are:

https://christianmindfulness.co.uk/ The Christian Mindfulness Course costs but the site also includes an excellent introductory video and free meditations.

https://abide.co/ This app offers a daily meditation which you can tailor in terms of length to your needs as well as a range of meditations on a range of issues such as anxiety, health and stress. This app also costs.

Kate Nicholas’s best-selling memoir Sea Changed (shortlisted as Christian Biography of the Year 2017) and her latest book Sea Changed: A Companion Guide – Living a Transformed Life are available at Christian bookstores and online at eden.co.uk, kooroong.com and Amazon worldwide. Her TV series Living a Transformed Life can be viewed on demand on www.tbnuk.org or at www.katenicholas.co.uk Kate’s next book Soul’s Scribe: Connecting your Story and God’s Narrative will be available in the autumn.

Photo by Lesly Juarez on Unsplash