Being Still

Sea Lions, Oceanside Harbor, California

Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. ~ Psalm 42:7

In chapter 2 of Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools, Tyler Staton describes the practice of being still.

"Many confuse stillness with waiting for revelation. Sometimes revelation does come, and it's marvelous. But that's not the purpose of stillness. The purpose is consent. It is the daily practice of consenting to the work of God's Spirit, which is deeper than understanding or words. It is how 'deep calls to deep' from our soul to his." 

Tyler recommends creating a daily ritual of sitting still in prayer. He suggests using a timer, starting at two minutes. Do this every day, practicing two minutes of silence, beginning with an opening phrase of submission to God. He says this gives God the first word. Spoken prayer will follow. 

(See Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools, pages 50 and 51.)

Resources for this post:

• Tyler Staton
• 24/7 Prayer