There is a biblical story that is told and retold by different people for a myriad of reasons.
It’s a story of David, a shepherd boy who stood up against a giant of a man. David defeated him with a simple sling and five stones.
David went on to become a king – a man who despite his faults and failures was admired by people of different beliefs until today.
He was purportedly inspired to craft the mystical eight words, ‘Be still and know that I am God.’
Herein lies one of the keys to happiness.
1.      First, Be Still.
This is simple but not an easy task.
Simple because I can do it. Not easy because it is hard to practice it, especially in the hustle and bustle of the new economy.
Being still means to be fully present – body, soul and spirit – for the ‘here and now.’
It is to be completely aware – through all the senses – of the current experience.
It is to be acutely mindful of space, time, and history and how they converge into the present moment.
Many spiritual, psychological, and philosophical beliefs support the need to ‘be still’ as an important factor for overall well-being.
The logic is simple. The current moment is the only asset I have in life at the very moment. When it’s gone, it’s gone forever.
People who have disciplined themselves to be still have learned to value life. They tend to have a healthier physical, mental, and emotional well being.
As a result, they are more inclined to live a meaningful, exciting, and fulfilling life.
People who learned to be still will not let any moment go to waste or worst, allow it to lead to negative experience.
They do not harbor any negative emotions such as hatred, fear, stress, resentment, hopelessness, neurosis, and depression.
I have discovered that people who have the ability to be still come across as pillars of strength and have a commanding presence.
They attract people to them because of their confidence and sense of destiny.
A word of caution.
You cannot be still for being still sake. There is such a thing as being overly still – resulting in a lack of life.
In the study conducted by Epel, Bandura, and Zimbardo, they found that homeless people lived virtually for the moment. (1)
Alzheimer’s patients are also found to suffer from the same predicament. (2)
Another study also showed that people who are overly focused on the present are not as able to handle delayed gratification and are more inclined to be involved in different forms of risky behaviours. (3)
Being still may unwittingly invite negative inputs to come into the mind and spirit. It may lead to unhealthy consequences.
2.      Know That I Am God.
The purpose of being still is to be in full connection with our Creator, and to be in awe with who He is and what He has done for us.
It is to be grateful and thankful for all the wonder, beauty, and magnificence that he has placed within me and without.
Being still allows me develop a closer relationship with Him and to serve His noble calling for me. It enables me to maximize my potential and use my God-given talents to do the highest good for eternity sake.
When I learned to be still and to know He is God, it will increase my level of happiness.
Go4It!
(1)Â Â Â Escaping Homelessness: The Influences Of Self-Efficacy And Time Perspective On Coping With Homelessness, Epel, E.S., Bandura, A., and Zimbardo, P.G., Journal Of Applied Social Psychology, 1999, 29; 575-96
(2)Â Â Â Dancing With Rose, Kessler, L., Los Angeles Times Magazine, August 22, 204, 29.
(3)   Putting Time In Perspective: A Valid, Reliable Individual – Difference Metric. Zimbardo, P.G., and Boyd, J.N.. Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 1998, 77:1271-88. Boyd, J.N., and Zimbardo, P.G. (2005).
Time Perspective, Health And Risk Taking. In Strathman, A., and Joireman, J. (eds.). Understanding Behavior In The Context of Time: Theory, Research, and Application (pp. 85-107). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
I hope this message will find a place in your heart.
By the way, I have also recorded other reflections.
Please go to ‘Notes’ found below my profile picture.
Visit my Inspiration blog at http://liewinspiration.wordpress.com
Visit my Transformation blog at http://hsrpatrickliew.wordpress.com
Please read them and continue to teach me.
Life is FUNtastic!
Question: How can we ‘be still and know that He is God?’
Comments
Powered by Facebook Comments
Comments on this entry are closed.