“Be still and know that I am God.”
Psalms 46:10
Being here in South Africa has been so life giving. God’s presence has just been beautifully moving through everyone we’ve met and the community here has challenged me to walk more boldly in my faith every moment of every day.
Throughout our 3 weeks here we have blessed to hear so many testimonies, pray for so many souls, have so many Acts 2:42 encounters, witness a baptism, witness a man walk away from addiction, and be loved so well by our South African family. Through all of this I have learned so much about what it looks like to rely on God in every moment of every day. I have been in constant conversation with the Lord and seeking Him in every situation.
However, stepping into this community, I am learning that I don’t truly know how to rest well with the Lord and allow Him to refill me. Like many people who go on missions, I had started to feel some burnout because of pouring out and not allowing the Lord to refill me. I had been trying to fill myself with the Lord and do all the things that I thought He wanted me to do to be filled with Him. It was exhausting and He soon revealed to me why.
The first day the Lord shared with me how to rest in Him was during a short trip to a chapel on the way home from our adventure day. We had about 20 minutes to sit with the Lord and talk to Him. During my time with Him, He simply asked me to be still. Not to speak or do anything. Simply be still and listen to His creation praise Him.
He reminded me again of this truth during a trip out to a retreat owned by the church we worked with. We started our short retreat by sitting with the Lord. Just sitting in His presence. This was followed by time to walk around and talk with Him. Again He asked me to just be still with Him. So I just sat with Him for a while and walked around not saying or doing anything. When we finished, our friend pointed out that the cross I had been walking past actually says, “Be Still”. It was like a conformation to what I had been learning.
Both of these short moments of being still and knowing Him, were the most filling and left me ready to take on the day. While, all the other times when I had sat for a few hours reading and talking to him and trying to fill myself with His truth left me drained. I am not saying these things are bad, but that my intention behind them was not leaving room for God to move.
So, what’s the point of all of this?
I believe our Father just wants us to sometimes come to Him and just abide in His presence. He just wants us to be still and know that He is God for long enough to soak in His goodness and sit in awe of the creator. He just wants us to set down all the things we do to be “good” Christians and be filled with His truth, so that He can do the filling and the speaking into our lives.
Take time today to just sit with Him. Don’t do anything or say anything. Just sit and listen. See what He wants to share with you.
Thank you for the reminder, that it is God who fills us and replenishes us so we are able to go about his work. Spending time in study, prayer and fellowship are all so important to our walk with him, but that is not what fills us or replenishes us. It is God almighty through his Holy Spirit that fills us, restores our energy and changes our lives! So proud of you and your walk of Faith with our Father God!
Ashton, I have very much enjoyed following your adventures for the past year. I know you have done a lot for the people where you have been. That’s what God has done through you, but I also recognize what God has done to you. I’m so glad you have experienced this. I know you will be blessed by it many times over.
LOVE this! And LOVE you! When you get home, I have the perfect spot for you to sit and just “BE” with the Lord. In fact, it’s about time I returned there myself. Can’t wait to hug your neck!
Ashton heck yes! Love this and needed this reminder. “ He just wants us to set down all the things we do to be “good” Christians and be filled with His truth, so that He can do the filling and the speaking into our lives.” SO GOOD
I love this, and I love how the Lord has been pursuing you through rest, simply time to abide and commune with His beloved daughter – you.