Leanne Mallet

We can forget what life’s about as we spin plates

It is better to learn to be ‘still’ than to try to work everything out, writes Leanne Mallett.

Recently, I was in need of a new watch so I purchased an Apple watch. Throughout the day it told me when to stand up, counted my steps, tracked my heartbeat and celebrated with me when I reached my goals. Amazing!

However, I realised it didn’t tell me ‘everything’ I needed to do for my wellbeing! I felt Apple just missed out on something that is also vital for us in our busy lifestyles, and that is to ‘be still’.

This year Aspire is taking the theme of being ‘still’ because in all our busyness, in all our spinning of life’s plates we can neglect its importance. So often we try to work everything out ourselves, trying to ‘save the day’ in so many situations when the Lord would want to remind us – “Hey, ‘Be still and know that I am God,’” (Psalm 46:10).

Yes, there’s a time for us to put on the armour of God and stand, but equally, there is a time when we need to be still before him. It’s then our eyes are focused on the one who can bring order and wisdom to all our situations.

In life it’s easy to get ourselves in an anxious state, worrying about situations that seem out of our control, when all we need to do is be still and know that God is our defender and he sees all. Psalm 37:7 tells us to be still and not to fret about such things!

Moses was faced with an impossible situation – the Red Sea! And the Israelites started to blame him for taking them there. Moses turned to God and God said, “The Lord will fight for you, you just need to be still,” (Exodus 14:14). Yes, Moses needed to wait and watch what God was about to do, but he also needed to be still in his heart and not be anxious – trusting that God would fight for him.

Isn’t that a great reminder for us all today? Often we need not only to be still physically but also to have stillness in our hearts, an assurance, a knowledge of who our God is.

What I love about Moses is that he knew the importance of making special time to be still before God. In Exodus 33 we read that Moses had a ‘tent of meeting’, a special place far away from others. This was a place where he met with God regularly. This became a place where he received instruction and wisdom – it was a place in which the presence of God filled. Moses knew this special time with God was vital.

At the start of a brand new year where many New Year’s resolutions are being made, why not decide that in 2019 you are going to schedule a ‘tent of meeting’ with God regularly.

It can be anywhere – a special room in your house, the bottom of your garden or even in your car! Time set aside where you just give all your plates to him. A place where you ask for wisdom, a place where you receive instruction. A place where you experience the presence of God in a fresh new way.

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