Most of us have heard this Bible verse, yet, how often do we practice it? How many times have you seen it bubble up in a small group at church, on the wall of a neighbor’s home, or highlighted in a Bible that has been gifted to you from a friend? Do we focus on the meaning and what He is really telling us? Are we making the space in our lives to “be still” and focus on His voice and His direction?

 

Everyone’s small moments will be different, and they can even vary day by day, depending on your schedule, your children’s schedule, or your summer vacation plans. We often rush through our days and forget to slow down and remember to “be still” and acknowledge God in our lives and His effort to talk to us. It’s important to remember He is working behind the scenes in everything we do and spending a few minutes per day to listen and allow him into our quiet spaces is critical. Even if you can carve out five minutes a day to practice stillness, it’s worth it. 

 

Here are some simple ways to find the small moments of the day to be still. 

For those of you who wake up before the sun rises, this may be a good time to practice stillness. At 5 a.m., there’s a good chance that you won’t be distracted by a phone call or the chirping sound of new emails in your inbox. Take a few minutes to stay in bed or leave a yoga mat beside your bedside at night, and simply lay it out after you wake up and take a few minutes to ground yourself, pray, and listen for God. You may laugh here, but if the first few moments of your day are in the shower, who hasn’t come up with some of their most creative ideas there? Sometimes, it’s one of the only places we can spend uninterrupted time. Take a few minutes once you’re done to soak in the calmness of the day, before it all begins. Breathe. Pray. Ask God to open your heart to all that He has in store and see if you’re able to hear His guidance for the day. 

If your morning routine is anything like mine, there may not be a lot of time to practice stillness between breakfast, packing lunches, shuffling kids off to school or daycare, and getting yourself prepared for an 8 a.m. meeting. It often feels like mornings can be the most hectic time of the day and rushing off to work doesn’t help matters. However, many of us do spend some time in the car, bus, or train during our commute to work. This may be a good time to turn off the radio, roll down the windows, soak in the fresh air, and be at peace with God. If your commute is with others, such as by public transportation, grab a set of headphones and listen to classical or meditation music on your way into the office. Have you ever turned off the radio or phone during your drive into work? Try it tomorrow and see if your day starts off on the right foot.

If you have young kids, the drive into the office may not exist, and a peaceful lunch break might be downright laughable. You may be at home, running them to a class or playdate, or you may just have errands to do that won’t allow for a peaceful commute into an office. Your time in the car may be dodging the French fry thrown at your head or a screaming child who avoided his/her car seat today with a meltdown. If that’s the case, your best bet for a few minutes of calmness may be naptime. If you have older children, the best time may be while they are at school. Perhaps you can park a little farther away at school drop-off, so once the little one(s) are safely in class, you take a longer route back to your car, slow down and really see your surroundings and appreciate the peacefulness of your walk.

If you’re one of the lucky ones with time at lunch to focus and reconnect, take a couple lunches per week and walk outside if it’s nice. If your office is downtown, many times there may be a waterway or park nearby. These are good places to find a nook that has a bench or quiet space to separate yourself from the busy day and re-center yourself. Soak in the tranquility of the breeze in your hair or the gentleness of the wind in the trees. If you’re in an office that doesn’t allow for a walk outside, perhaps you can find a spare office that doesn’t get a lot of traffic, turn off the lights, and close your eyes during your lunch break or coffee break. The end of the workday maybe also be a good time to take a few extra moments. We all know the end of the day can creep up on you before you know it, but on less busy days, sometimes we’ve wrapped up a project or shut down a few minutes early for computer updates, and we’re on the clock until 5 p.m. This might also be a good time to close your eyes, be still with God, and thank Him for another productive day.