“Be Still, and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10

What does it mean to be still and know that He is God? What does being still in his presence mean? What does it mean to know God? When I think about getting to know someone, I imagine conversations, activities done together, and places seen together. We make connections with people through shared experiences. So how do we share an experience with God? How can we get to know Him like a real friend?

“True friendship comes when the silence between two people is comfortable.” – David Tyson

Some of the best friends I have share a lot of memories with me, but they aren’t always of activities or conversations, they are often something greater. They are a connection of the soul. The soul doesn’t speak in words, and it doesn’t go do fun activities, the soul connects on a much deeper level than we do as people. I often make the best memories with people when I am simply in their presence. We aren’t saying anything, we aren’t doing anything, but sitting still and taking in the world around us.

As I sit there and experience God’s creation, I get to know God.

When I think about connecting with God, my first thoughts are through worship, prayer, or reading scripture. We often overlook a lot of ways God is already connecting with us. Some of the times I have felt closest with God are when I am sitting still in His creation. I’m not praying, I am not worshiping, I am not reading, and I am not dwelling on my thoughts, I am merely taking everything in. I am being still in God’s presence. As I sit there and experience God’s creation, I get to know God. I see His beauty, His creativity, and His intentionality as I take in what God has laid before me. I think we sometimes overlook this form of quiet time with God. We believe we need to be doing something, but God asks us just to be still sometimes.

Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” – Matthew 26:38

In Matthew 26:36-46, Jesus goes to pray with God, but He only asks His disciples to sit and watch. He didn’t ask them to pray with Him, He didn’t instruct them to worship, He simply asked them to watch. I am sure the disciples were confused and wanted to know what to do because watching isn’t productive in their minds. I think too often we seek God for an answer to something or a greater understanding of things when we don’t understand. The disciples did this when they asked Jesus what to do in the garden. He told them to watch. He told them to just take everything in, to simply be still and be with God. I think God wants us to learn how to sit in silence with Him. Think this is why He seems so quiet sometimes; why He doesn’t give us answers. When we ask, He sits in silence because that is what He wants us to do.

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.” – Psalm 62:5

I think being still, in silence, is often so foreign to us. We live in a society where we go go go and never stop. If we do stop, we are told we are lazy or should be doing something. I think we have taken this idea and applied it to our faith as well. We are continually looking to “do” something in our faith, but sometimes, not doing anything can be the best thing. Just sitting still and watching what God is doing in your life can be the best thing. Make an intentional effort to apply the idea of being still into your daily lives. Maybe that’s starting with 5 minutes a day just taking in the beauty of God’s creation. Perhaps that’s staring at a sunset, the clouds, a starry night, or some green pasture. Take some time to just be with God. As you begin to spend those quiet times with God, you will start to know Him more relationally. Take some time, be still, and know that He is God.