T.S. Eliot wrote, "At the still point, there the dance is. But neither arrest nor movement. And do not call it fixity, Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement from nor towards, neither ascent nor decline. Except for the point, the still point, there would be no dance, and there is only dance."
What is this still point he is talking about? For a believer in Jesus, the still point is that moment of being still before God. "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).
In our world of constant motion, the pressure for productivity, the myth that we must be busy, busy, busy, always in motion, God's Word teaches that there is value in being still before the Lord. In fact, you could call this "still point" a daily event of spiritual survival and transformation. That moment when we stop all our busyness, all our constant concern over temporal things of this world, and stop to listen for God to speak in our lives.
Many times our prayers before the Lord are filled with bringing our plans, our goals, our dreams, our work, our opportunities, our schedules to God. What about seeking the Lord's will? As Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
It is in the "still point" between where we are and where God is leading us that God speaks. It is in the "still point" that we learn the lesson of waiting, of listening for the whisper of God.
Did you ever consider that busyness is a tool of the evil one to keep you from following closely to God? Even the busyness doing what we consider the Lord's work can actually be a ruse to keep us from coming before Jesus in all honesty.
It is in the "still point" that God reveals things in our lives that need to be given over to Him that we might be transformed in the renewing of our mind, as Romans 12:2 tells us. Ken Gire writes, "That is why busyness is lethal -- it keeps us from beholding the face of Jesus. ... Beholding Christ's face is the still point of the dance, around which all our activity should revolve. If that is not the still point in our lives, there is no dance. There is only movement" (Winter's Promise, Ken Gire, page 20).
If you are frustrated with the emptiness of busyness in your life, consider making the spiritual discipline of stillness before the Lord a daily practice. Find your quiet spot away from the noise of the world and come before the Lord with open eyes, open ears and an open heart.
The prophet Elijah learned this lesson in 1 Kings 19:10-12. The Lord's voice wasn't heard in the wind or the earthquake or even in the fire -- the Lord spoke to Elijah in a gentle whisper. It was a "still point" for him.
Each day holds the possibility of a "still point" before the Lord. Consider this spiritual discipline of stillness before God. The world will clamor to interrupt, to fill your time and disturb you. Seek the Lord.
Pray hard and keep the faith.
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Metcalf is pastor of Forest Hills Church, an American Baptist congregation. Email her at [email protected]. The opinions expressed in this column don't necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper.
Religion on 07/23/2014