Why Be Still

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18

I guess because I spent my last Silent Retreat in Thailand at Lanna Resort (since we leave in five weeks); the question crossed my mind as to why God wants us to be still.

For me, it’s because as I choose to be still, LOTS of realizations happen. When I look around me as I sit outside, the beauty of every single creation begin to command my attention. It’s almost like each one is saying, “Look at me! Do you see how intricately I am made? There is an awesome God!” If I have no one or nothing to look at but myself, the fact that my hair is numbered, or that each of my fingerprints are unique stands out. I begin to ponder on how each bird, insect, or ant is sustained. Nature speaks and points to God and even my very cells do it!

Last Friday, as I looked at the stream by the room, I noticed that the water was slower. At times, it was even still. I sat longer and noticed a LOT more. A dark, beautiful, green butterfly flew by. Floating leaves cast beautiful and unusual shadows on the stream’s bed. White butterflies fluttered mischievously and happily. There were several of them. And then there were the long and slim, grayish, brown fish. They swam in unison. Where one turned, the leader, the others followed. They glinted in the light when their bellies swayed ever slightly to the left. Since I was on their right, their leftward slant is when they reflected the sunlight to me. They’re beautiful and fascinating creatures. I followed them with my eyes but I couldn’t make sense of their movements. One moment they were heading upstream and to their left, the next moment, they’re heading speedily in the opposite direction going left or right. Were they purposeless and direction challenged? Didn’t they know what they were doing? They seemed to just be going around in a big circle! Were they going nowhere?

As I continued to remain still, understanding dawned on me, I finally saw it. The leaves floating atop the water cast shadows on the floor of the stream below. As those shadows passed, it frightened the fish beneath them. The fish evaded dark figures that really could do them no harm. They got out of the shadows’ way and changed their swimming direction. How interesting! I wonder how often I’ve evaded something in my life because it scared me. I wonder how much of what scared me couldn’t really do me any harm. I just perceived it that way but I changed course, I retreated, even changed direction. What did I do it for? What were the harmless shadows in my life that directed me elsewhere? Thank you for helping me understand, Papa God. When I became still, I understood them, the fish. When I gaze at you, Lord, as the verses above states, I understand you more, too! I can only reflect you well when I’m facing you. More important, when I’m gazing at you, I become more like you. Amen, that is what I want to do.