Reflecting on these past few months of sheltering-in-place, it feels as if time has moved quickly and slowly at the same time. There are days I wake up and think it is still March or April when SIP began and wonder how it became the end of June. There are other days it feels as if no time has passed due to the repetitiveness of each day. But during the past months, one word comes to mind I have often reflected on: stillness.

Thinking of life before masking and social distancing, I think of all the things I needed to do and the frenetic energy that surrounded my days, weeks, and months. There were not enough hours in the day to see everyone I wanted to see or do everything I wanted to do; in one quick moment, everything came to a halt. Keeping busy the first month was all about trying to make the best of my time at home: cleaning, organizing, ordering while also managing the uncertainty of the time. But as the weeks continued to go by, my toilets would get dirty again, dust would collect in the corners of the house and I was less motivated to do it all over with as much gusto as before. There was much wrestling seeing time go by but also feeling that I was not “doing” anything. It was during that time when I prayed and the words be still would resonate more and more within me.

The scripture that came to mind was Luke 10:38-42:

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.  But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,  but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.

It was very timely when Pastor Terry preached on it during those months. In the passage, Jesus pointed out to Martha that the better portion was to sit at the feet of the Lord rather than being troubled about all the things she needed to get done.

Whether I feel it or not, time has passed, and in this time I can feel the need to be still and sit with the Lord before acting and doing. Is this what God desires for me to do in this time? As things change in the months to come, I encourage you, too, to get into the rhythm of being still before moving and hoping back into the hustle.

How can we do this?

• Pause. Sit before the Lord and allow Him to guide you in both the day to day and in the bigger things.
• When the time is right, move intentionally and deliberately as a reflection of the above.
• After you have gotten into a rhythm, continue to reflect back on the pacing of your life daily or even weekly, to continue to bring before the Lord how you are living and prioritizing daily or weekly.