Be Still: 30 Devotions for the Hopeful HeartExemplo

Stillness Invites the Prompting

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. JOHN 16:13 ESV

Remember as a child when bedtime was way earlier than desired and no one thought they were tired—until they were forced to get horizontal, and everyone went out like a light? Or when the quiet time was encouraged at church camp and everyone was silently doubting their ability to journal what they were hearing from God until the quiet surrounded them? Then all around the place, pens were going a million miles per hour, scribbling what God was depositing into the heart.

Both of these examples show us that oftentimes, until something is forced upon us, we do not realize how much it is calling our name. Stillness is the same way. We believe our laborious tasks offer a far more productive outcome than stillness could ever provide and so we dodge it like a bullet. Or we dodge our own ability to hear God speak, and so we never give Him the invitation to do so.

But just like a child when bedtime hits or a quiet time that forces us to slow down, creating a time of stillness invites the prompting for whatever needs to happen, to happen. How do we expect to hear from God when we have given Him no time to speak or read the words He has already written to us? He is not silent, and we are not deaf. It is that He is not forceful, and we are not intentional.

When we allow for this time, we give space for the Holy Spirit to do what He was designed to do inside of us. Clarity is brought to the surface. Decisions go from gray to black and white as remembrance of His instruction comes to our mind. Comfort becomes a close friend as we draw close to Jesus.

We often have no idea of what we need and far too much of an idea of what we want. But when we are still, we are reminded that He is all we need and the only One who knows what we truly desire.

Dear Jesus, thank You for the way You faithfully show up when we make time for You. Help us to create this time of stillness and allow our spirit to be prompted, giving us direction for the steps ahead and the decisions to come. In Jesus’s name, amen.