Still

Finland is a very still place.

But I am not a very still person...at least not naturally.

If you know me, you know that I'm always on the move. Making lists, checking things off, standing up, sitting down, moving around. Some days I'm non-stop from morning to night. Probably if I were a kid in school today I would be labeled ADHD. I was a very active kid. I remember spreading out my feet to the width of a doorway, and then quickly climbing to the top, like a little monkey, so I could be higher than the adults. :-) As a teenager I was a cheerleader, and not just at the games. I bounded around the house, jumping, twirling, and twisting. My mom said that I was more active than all three of my brothers combined!! :-)

Still was just NOT my thing, at least until I came to Finland! It's here that I have learned the beauty of silence. As I have been packing to leave, I've realized that one of the many gifts I have received from this culture is an appreciation for the stillness. The people here are comfortable with silence. In the Helsinki airport you can almost hear a pin drop. It's lovely. Also the calm Finnish nature invites reflection. In Keuruu, where we lived for six years, I had a big rock with water on three sides. It was beautiful out there in every season, and my favorite thing to do was take my Bible, a notebook, and pen and just go out there and listen.

It wasn't easy for God to teach me about this "quiet thing." It was a big job, but He's a big God! :-) But I believe that teaching me to be still was one way he helped prepare me for this moment in my life. The challenge of the ALS diagnosis is eased by the ability to rest quietly in Him.

You've probably heard the hymn "Be Still My Soul," but did you know that the Finnish national hymn "Finlandia" is set to the same tune? So, I hear that tune fairly often when I'm here in Finland, and each time God reminds me that He can speak to me through the silence. But! Finding time to sit still is SO hard for me! ;-)

Today as I sat down to have my morning devotions, my mind was racing. Things to do. Things to pack. Things to decide. Then I heard God whisper, "Be still." I took a deep breath and opened my ears. Then my eyes fell on my bookmark from the November Ladies Only meeting, and there were the words to THE song. I let my mind settle down and then I listened to God's voice in the stillness.

"Be still my soul, the Lord is on thy side
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain
Leave to thy God to order and provide
In every change He faithful will remain
Be still my soul, thy best thy heavenly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still my soul, thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past
Thy hope thy confidence let nothing shake
Oh thou mysterious will be bright at last."

I paused and read through the words again, allowing them to penetrate deep into my spirit. The "stillness" felt so GOOD!

Then I looked at the bottom of the bookmark and read this lovely paraphrase of Philippians 4:6. (Taken from Amy Grant's album Legacy...Hymns & Faith.)

"Delight yourself in the Lord; yes, and find your joy in Him.
Be known for your gentleness, and never forget the nearness of our God.
And don't worry! Whatever's going to come, just tell God every detail
And the peace of God that no one understands will come to you.
No, don't worry, just tell Him every detail and His peace will come to you."

I'm sure my pulse slowed. I know my eyes closed, and I felt God's peace penetrating through to those deep inner concerns, and also infiltrating my fluttery lists for the day. I don't know how long I sat there STILL, but I know when it was over I felt deeply refreshed.

Then as I moved through my day with speed and efficiency, there was a deep peace below the surface--the strength of silence.

I challenge you, especially if you're a mover like me, to just find a peaceful place. Open your mind. See what God says. Walk through a woods. Sit beside a lake. Listen to the silence. Let Him tell you how much He loves you. Listen to him saying that He is bigger than your situation.

"Be still and know that I am God." Ps. 46:10

mm