The older I get, the stronger my desire to spend time with the Lord grows, yet the days seem to pass so swiftly. The problem is not finding time to slow down; rather, it is how to quiet my thoughts and still my soul. I must choose to deliberately shut out all the noise that distracts me from spending quality time with my Lord. I must choose the better, as Mary did, when she sat at the feet of Jesus (Luke 10: 41-42).

Yet even amid the bustle of the day, God speaks.

I see and hear from God in the ordinary, and the ordinary often becomes spectacular.

I experience God in the smiles of my special-needs friends, in the sound of their enthusiastic greetings, and in the warmth of their hugs. I hear from God through the love of family and friends. I hear from Him in the beauty of the flaming scarlet sky and the stillness of the gentle breeze. I encounter Him in the tears of those who weep, and in the comfort offered by one who cares. I hear from God in Scripture, through prayer, in nature, and through stories, theatre, a symphony, and poetry. I feel God’s presence through the joys and trials of life … and it’s a wonder!

The more I consider the height, depth, breadth, and length of God’s love, the more my soul is stilled, and the anxiety brought on by life’s stormy circumstances diminishes.

The Apostle Paul penned a beautiful prayer that I often turn to, which brings me to a place of stillness deep within my soul...

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen" (Ephesians 3:14-21).

Focusing on the big picture of our almighty, faithful, and loving God is a good place to dwell. It leads us to a place of calm and quiet. It allows us to hear from God as we still our souls before Him.

My prayer is that each of us will purposefully and thoughtfully take time to come into His presence with a heart of worship, as we become still with the knowledge that He is God.

“Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

Be still and know that I am God
Be still and know that I am God
Be still and know that I am God

In thee, O Lord, I put my trust
In thee, O Lord, I put my trust
In thee, O Lord, I put my trust

Source: LyricFind; Songwriters: English Traditional; Be Still and Know That I Am God (Chamber Ensemble) lyrics © DistroKid

Susan Page is the daughter of the King, His beloved child, wonderfully forgiven and blessed! Susan longs to age gracefully, becoming more like Jesus as she seeks the hidden treasures revealed to her through Scripture, literature, the arts, humankind, and nature.