What does it mean to be still?

Stillness means,[ as I said in a previous blog on my website], “to keep your heart calm and in a place of peace by disciplining your heart and mind.”

It is a Psalm 23 place, green pastures and still and restful waters of His presence. It is a quiet heart,with fears and anxieties laid to rest at Jesus feet. It is unnecessary busyness filtered and pruned,and that which is necessary, done with a rested heart. A time to “pause and calmly think of what has been said or done”.

In a season of hyper-alertness such as this corona pandemic, does it mean we stop all ministry? No it does not, it means we re-evaluate our ministry activities yes, it means we re-prioritise so that we can make Holy Spirit led decisions about our commitments.

There is an appointed time and season for everything, and to fail to act during the appointed time and season is to lose or delay those ministry doorways which God has provided.

If God tells you to lay down everything to just seek his face, then do so, certainly, presuming your family commitments will allow that or can be taken up by someone else.  If you find yourself made redundant, then be sure to enter that place of His Presence and use the time to build your inner circle relationship with Jesus.

Must you do nothing except sit at Jesus feet?

No, If everyone stopped praying, what would happen?

If everyone stopped posting encouragement and teaching and prophetic words, how much strength would we all lose?

The answer is, we would lose the corporate mutual strength that supports us, as each member of the body has a function, and if one is sick, then all members suffer. If one fails to fulfill their assigned role, then everyone else must carry more of the load.

We are in a worlwide season of war, and soldiers stay where they are posted until relieved of duty, whether that is for rest and recreation or to heal from injury.Stay at your post until God relieves you of it. Watchmen and Gatekeepers have a divine responsibility to stay and watch and to warn.

Ask your heavenly Father “what role do I play in this season?”.

Luke 10:38-42

Martha and Mary were special friends of Jesus and he stopped at their house for refreshment. Martha took on the whole role of hospitality, while Mary simply sat at Jesus feet. She knew that she needed to learn from Jesus while he was there and took advantage of his presence.

We can say that she should have considered Marthas’ needs for spiritual food too, however Jesus taught about priorities when Martha complained about doing all the work.

Hospitality was a sacred duty and could not be neglected normally, but the presence of Jesus in their house was rare, and with a bit of organisation, both sisters could have stopped and sat at Jesus feet.

Choosing what is eternal, what we will learn from and keep throughout eternity, takes wise discernment. When is it just laziness and selfishness, to sit with Jesus, and when are we making divine connection which cannot be made at another time?, once again ask for wisdom and discernment, and assignment.

Seek your inner peace and make decisions according to the peace or lack of it in your spirit.

Take any available time left after employment or family responsibilities, evaluate prayerfully, should I now do a Mary rest?

Mary could not always rest from housework or martha would have burned out

Mary would have become lazy an uncaring of Martha if she never took up some responsibilities.

So assess and prioritise, reflect and seek God with a calm heart and see with fresh eyes at this time, above all, as Jesus said; judge not others so that you are not judged. Matthew 7:1&2