Reconnect with God: Embracing Stillness in Life

Have you ever been so busy doing things for God that you forgot to spend time simply being with Him?

I have.

For much of my life, I was always doing something. Serving, helping, caring for others, and trying to make sure everyone had what they needed.

And I loved doing those things.

But somewhere along the way, I became so busy taking care of everything and everyone that I forgot how important it was to simply sit at the feet of Jesus.

I knew how to serve. I knew how to help. I knew how to keep going, even when I was exhausted.

But learning to be still?

That was a different story.

And through one of the most difficult seasons of my life, God began teaching me something that would change the way I understood my relationship with Him.

He wasn't asking me to do more. He was inviting me to draw closer. An invitation to come.

Eye-level view of a serene lake surrounde

The Importance of Being Still Before God

Stillness is More Than Silence

Psalm 46:10 reminds us: "Be still, and know that I am God."

I'd known that verse for years.

But knowing a verse and learning to live it are two very different things.

When my health changed and I could no longer do all the things I once did, I thought I was finally being still.

After all, I wasn't running around taking care of everything anymore.

Wasn't that what being "still" meant?

But while my body had stopped, my mind hadn't.

I was still thinking about everything that needed to be done. I was worrying about people I loved. I was carrying responsibilities, concerns, and questions that seemed to have no answers.

And I began to realize something.

I had stopped physically, but I hadn't truly surrendered.

My hands might have been resting, but in my heart, I was still holding tightly to everything.

God was teaching me that stillness wasn't simply about doing nothing.

It was about learning to trust Him with the things I couldn't control. This brought me to my knees. I realized anything concerning my family, I was protective.

My Dad has end stage kidney failure, and congestive heart failure. My Mom struggling with Alzheimer's and trying to hold it all together. My little brother is now wheelchair bound and suffers with seizures.

I realized with me holding to all of them, I was not allowing Him to do what He needs to do. I was being the Vine and not the branch. This was not intentional.

Now that this became apparent to me, I had to release, to surrender my family, my loved ones. He loved them first and always has our best intentions to heart always. He knows what is best and I trust Him for that.

It was about laying down the burdens I was never meant to carry alone.

And it was about remembering that I didn't have to hold everything together.

Because God was already holding me.

Learning From Mary and Martha

One of the stories in Scripture that has spoken so deeply to my heart is found in Luke 10:38-42.

It's the story of two sisters, Mary and Martha.

I've read that story many times, but what I began looking at it more closely, I started seeing myself in a way I hadn't before.

Oh, how I understood Martha!

Jesus had come into their home, and Martha was busy preparing and serving. She wanted everything taken care of.

I could almost feel what she was feeling.

There was work to be done. Things needed attention. Someone had to make sure everything was ready!

And there was Mary, sitting at Jesus' feet, listening to Him.

I could understand why Martha felt frustrated.

Because I knew what it was like to be the one doing, preparing, serving, and caring for everyone else.

That was me,

I was the person who would say, "I'll take care of it."

If someone needed help, I was there.

If something needed to be done, I wanted to do it.

And many times, I didn't know how to stop.

But as I continued reflecting on this story, something began to stir in my heart.

I realized that I could see myself in both Mary and Martha.

I loved Jesus. I wanted to be close to Him. I wanted to hear His Word and grow in my relationship with Him.

But I had spent so much of my life behaving more like Martha than Mary.

I knew how to serve Jesus.

But was I making time to simply sit with Jesu?

That question touched my heart.

Martha wasn't wrong for wanting to serve. Serving others is a beautiful expression of love.

but she had become so distracted by everything that needed to be done that she was missing something precious.

Jesus was right there.

And Mary had chosen to sit at His feet.

I began realizing that I didn't have to stop being someone who loved to serve.

I needed to understand that my time with Jesus mattered just as much as the things I did for Him.

And perhaps even more than I had realized.

Because how could I continue pouring into others if i wasn't allowing the Lord to pour into me?

I didn't need to become less loving, less caring, or less willing to serve.

I needed to learn how to have Martha's hands for serving and Mary's heart for abiding.

There is a time to serve.

And there is a time to sit at His feet.

And somewhere in my busy life, I had forgotten how to make room for both.

That realization became an important part of my Sacred Pause journey.

I wasn't being asked to stop loving people through service.

I was being invited to love Jesus through the time spent in His presence.

And what a beautiful difference that made in how I began understanding rest.

Learning to Lay Down What We Carry

I think many of us can relate to Martha.

We get so caught up in our responsibilities that we begin believing everything depends on us.

The family needs us.

The work needs to be done.

Someone is hurting.

Someone needs help.

And before we know it, we're carrying burdens that have become heavier than we ever imagined.

I know what that feels like.

There have been moments when I was so weary that I didn't know how I could take another step.

And yet, even then, I struggled to let go.

I had to learn that surrendering something to God didn't mean I stopped caring.

It meant recognizing that I couldn't control every outcome.

I could love people.

I could pray for them.

I could help where I was able.

But I could not be everything to everyone.

And I was never meant to be.

Sometimes the most meaningful prayer we can offer is simply: "Lord, I can't carry this anymore. I need You."

We don't have to have all the answers before coming to Him.44We simply have to come.

Finding Peace in His Presence

One thing I want to make clear is that spending time with Jesus doesn't mean all our troubles suddenly disappear.

Life still brings difficult seasons.

Illness doesn't always go away.

Grief doesn't simply vanish.

And sometimes prayers are followed by long seasons of waiting.

I know what it's like to sit with questions I cannot answer.

But I've also learned that I can bring those questions to the Lord.

I don't have to pretend I'm strong when I'm weary.

I don't have to pretend everything is fine when it isn't.

And I don't need beautiful, perfectly chosen words to pray.

Sometimes my prayer is simply, "Jesus, help me."

And in those moments, I am reminded that my relationship with God isn't about performing for Him.

It's about knowing Him, trusting Him, and resting in His love.

Peace isn't always found in changed circumstances. Sometimes it's found in remembering Who is with us in the middle of them.

Practical Ways to Make Room for Stillness

A Sacred Pause doesn't have to be complicated.

You don't need a perfect setting, an elaborate routine, or hours of uninterrupted time.

Sometimes a few quiet moments can help turn our attention back to Jesus.

Begin With Scripture

Open your Bible and read a passage slowly.

Don't worry about how many chapters you finish.

Sometimes one verse is enough to reflect on throughout the day.

Ask the Lord to help you understand His Word and how it applies to your life.

Talk With Jesus

Prayer doesn't require fancy words.

Talk with Him about your worries, your hopes, your fears, and the things weighing heavily on your heart.

Thank Him for the blessings you sometimes overlook.

And when you don't know what to pray, remember that He already knows your heart.

Make Room to Sit at His Feet

Think about Mary for a moment.

She wasn't rushing around trying to accomplish something.

She was simply spending time with Jesus.

Perhaps today you can set aside a few moments without worrying about what needs to happen next.

Read His Word.

Pray.

Reflect on His faithfulness.

And remember that spending time with Him is never wasted time.

Enjoy the Beauty of His Creation

Whether you're sitting beside a quiet lake, listening to birds outside your window, or watching the sunlight move through the trees, God's creation offers beautiful reminders of His handiwork.

And if illness or circumstances keep you from going outdoors, don't feel that you're missing out.

You don't have to be in a beautiful place to spend time with Jesus.

He is just as near in your living room, beside your bed, or in a hospital room.

Give Yourself Permission to Stop

This may be one of the hardest lessons of all.

When you've spent years being the person everyone depends on, stopping can feel uncomfortable.

You may even feel guilty.

But your worth was never measured by how much you accomplished.

God loves you on the days when you can serve others and on the days when you need someone to help care for you.

You don't have to earn His love through productivity.

You are already precious to Him.

When Stillness Doesn't Come Easily

There will be days when your mind wanders.

Days when responsibilities are pressing and you simply cannot find the quiet you hoped for.

And days when you feel like you're right back where you started.

I've experienced that too.

There have been moments when I laid something down before the Lord, only to realize later that I had picked it right back up.

But I've learned that this journey isn't about becoming perfect at being still.

It's about continually returning to Jesus.

When we become distracted, we can turn back toward Him.

When worries return, we can bring them to Him again.

When we begin striving, we can remember His invitation to abide.

And when we're weary, we can rest in the assurance that His love hasn't changed.

Every Sacred Pause is another opportunity to draw closer to His heart.

From Striving to Abiding

In John 15, Jesus teaches us about the vine and the branches.

A branch doesn't produce fruit by struggling harder.

It receives what it needs by remaining connected to the vine.

That picture has become so meaningful to me.

For much of my life, I believed that being productive meant I was doing something worthwhile.

And if I wasn't doing something, I somehow felt I was falling short.

But God began teaching me a different way.

My strength wasn't found in how much I could accomplish.

It was found in remaining close to Him.

Just as Mary sat at Jesus' feet, I was learning to make room for His presence in my own life.

And just as Martha had a heart to serve, I could continue loving others without allowing my service to become the measure of my worth.

I was learning that abiding and serving weren't enemies.

But my relationship with Jesus needed to come before my efforts to do things for Him.

I could still have Martha's serving hands, but I needed Mary's heart of surrender.

And that is what Sacred Pause continues to teach me.

Stop striving. Start abiding.

A Gentle Invitation to Sit at His Feet

Maybe today you see a little of yourself in Martha.

You're busy taking care of everyone, managing responsibilities, and trying to make sure nothing falls apart.

Or perhaps you long to be more like Mary, but you're not quite sure how to slow down and make room for time with Jesus.

I want to encourage you with something I've had to learn myself.

You don't have to choose between having a heart to serve and a heart that longs to be near the Lord.

There is room for both.

But don't become so busy caring for everyone and everything that you forget to spend time with the One who loves you most.

Jesus isn't asking you to arrive with everything figured out.

He isn't waiting for you to finish every responsibility before you come to Him.

He invites you to draw near, just as you are.

So wherever life's pathways have taken you today, I pray you'll find those precious moments to slow down, open His Word, and sit quietly at His feet.

May you learn to lay down what was never yours to carry.

May His love remind you that you are seen, valued, and never alone.

And may you discover the beauty of serving with Martha's hands while learning to abide with Mary's heart.

Be still.

Draw near.

And let your heart return to the Vine.

Stop striving. Start abiding.

With love and heartfelt prayers,

Sonia M. Bennett