Be Still

Throughout Lent I participated in the practice of Centering Prayer. This discipline is connected to the ancient prayer practice of meditative silence, a long held practice in Christianity, and has been influenced and blessed by wisdom from other religions as well. In it's modern incarnation, at least in North America, it connected to Father Thomas Keating and Contemplative Outreach. 

It scripturally centers itself in Psalm 46:10- "Be still and know that I am God..." and Matthew 6:6- "When you pray go to your inner room..." The hope is that by silent reflection and stillness before God, we might find a deeper connection in our relationship with God. It is a discipline that calls for a follower to take twenty minutes twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon/evening, to be silent pray and be open to the Divine presence of the Trinity. It may sound a bit out there, it did to me at first but there is something very tangible to it.

I am not one for meditation or chimes and bells and candles and I certainly do not "ohm!". But I am someone looking for some peace. I run throughout my day from work, to kids, to work, to family, to chores, to work, to well, exhaustion. I found myself increasingly frustrated and far too agitated with my family and my congregants, co-workers & colleagues. This practice has been immensely helpful to me in two big ways. One, it has helped me be more faithful, focused, & thoughtful in calling as a pastor. I am less anxious and seem to have a clearer sense of purpose. Two, I am more calm and patient with my children, my wife and my family. I am far from perfect, mind you, but I am better than I used to be. I do not get as agitated or angry and am certainly losing my temper less. If no other reason, this practice is worth the time.

However, I think there is something much deeper (and more spiritual) going on than what I have mentioned above. I believe we are  a people who overvalue busy-ness as a sign of productivity and success. So, we take too few opportunities to stop and look around at what is happening now and to considered what has happened before. We miss seeing God active in the world because we do not stop long enough, or take away enough distractions to appreciate the work of Spirit that is right in front of us. Centering Prayer helps to give us those moments where we can see and appreciate what God has done. In these moments of quiet I have gained some wonderful insights or where God has been and where I am being called to go. I have gained a better appreciation for the many blessings I have been given. I have found at least a part of that peace I have been seeking. I think this is because I am making the effort to listen instead of speak and be still instead of active. I think this is working because I have been open to something different than the prayer & spirituality I normally practice

That said, this may not be for you and that is okay. But I would urge you to try these three steps at least and see if it helps. Turn off the cell phones, screens and tablets first.

1. Take one full minute of silence, use a timer if you like.
2. Answer the question "Where has God been at work in my life today?" Think about this question and only this question for one full minute.
3. Take one full minute of silence.

That's it, just three minutes. That may be enough though to help change your perspective or give you a better appreciation of the Divine presence around us. If you wish to learn more about Centering Prayer you can   go to the link above and find a local chapter that is hopefully near you. In addition a local prayer group meets here in Hickory and is always welcoming new people. I promise that no bells, chimes or ohms will be needed. Just a desire for peace and an openness to God.