Be Still: Withdraw then Re-engage

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I have spent this entire summer reading and studying the Gospel of Mark. I have been blown away by the scriptures in what I have learned about rest and stillness. One of my favorite yet terrifyingly intense stories in the book of Mark takes place in chapter four. Hopefully, by reading this, you too can be still and trust that God is working all things for His glory and our good. I desire this for my own life as well and have begun to actively “be still” and lean on God’s might and not my will-power to achieve what only God can accomplish.

Regularly withdraw from work.

Jesus is tired after a hard day’s work and tells his disciples that it is time to leave work. They get in the boat and sail across the sea to the other side of the mountain. On their journey, Jesus falls asleep to rest. While he is sleeping, the disciples do what they do best and operate the rigging and sails.

Out of nowhere, the calm sea turns into raging rapids. This storm terrifies the experienced sailors to the point they fear for their lives. Noticing that Jesus is still asleep and unaware of the turbulence, the disciples wake him up from his sleep. In fear, they ask Jesus if he even cares that they are all going to die.

Jesus immediately woke up, rebuking the winds and waves. “Silence, be still!” As the words left his lips, the winds and the waves stopped. Everything was calm as if the storm never existed. “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

The disciples in the boats were terrified and almost speechless until someone speaks up and says, “Who is this? Even the wind and sea obey him.”

Boundaries need to be determined.

As a result of defining clear boundaries, we see Jesus makes time for prayer and rest. He often went off to pray alone to be still with God the Father. Earlier in the Gospel, Jesus is alone in the desert for forty days. Consequently, Jesus provides a crucial discipline that many choose to ignore. Be still and rest. During times of rest, our bodies begin to re-energize themselves. Science shows us that our brains need downtime to recover and function optimally.

Ironically, this is a classic case of “the pot calling the kettle black.” To clarify, I have struggled much of my adult life to set boundaries that allow time for prayer and rest.

People will, more often than not, need more from us than we can give. Jesus experienced this before getting into the boat. For example, the people on the shore were demon-possessed, in need of healing from sickness, and yearning for salvation. Jesus chose to remove himself to be still and commune with God.

Time and again, Jesus modeled a life of regularly withdrawing into places of silence and solitude for prayer and refreshment. The Law commands that we take one day to rest from our work. It was an essential practice for them and is also vital for us today. Let me rephrase that rest is critical for us to cultivate a spiritual discipline of “being still.” Withdrawing from the busyness of life for times of prayer and rest with God is necessary.

The storm inside and out.

What is the worst storm you have experienced? Were you caught in the middle of a hurricane? A lightning storm? Or, was the terrifying storm you experienced wrestling inside you? Depression. Anxiety. Guilt.

Going back to the example in Mark chapter four, we read that Jesus wakes up and sharply commands the winds to stop roaring and the waves to stop raging.

Dead silence.

Jesus dealt with the circumstance at hand so he could speak on the issue of their hearts. They still did not know who was in the boat with them. Once witnesses of miracles; now trembling in fear because this is different. They haven’t witnessed this before.

I can imagine the disciples thinking, “Only God could do what he just did. Only God can command the wind and seas.” Then recalling conversations, they have had with him on their journey. “He told us he had authority over heaven and earth, but it can’t be.”

Similarly, the storms that dwell inside us rage and toss us around. From the depths of our souls, we cry out for God to save us from this “storm-tossed life.”

I’m scared!

Jesus, wake up! Don’t you care that I’m dying inside?”

Don’t you care that I’m afraid?”

To and Fro

Just like the disciples, when we witness a sudden stillness in our circumstance, we are left dazed and confused. It wasn’t that the disciples didn’t have faith. It was that they had little hope. The disciples knew that Jesus could do something about the storm, but didn’t have the belief that Jesus could protect them during while he was sleeping.

I sometimes wonder that when I’m overwhelmed by my work or busyness of life, it is because I have forgotten that Jesus is my shield and defender. I haven’t rested enough from my work. My time spent with God cut short. When I am afraid about this thing or that thing it is because I have forgotten that the God who created all things created me, loves me, and wants to comfort me. I don’t have to be afraid. I can live in full confidence that the God that can calm the raging seas can calm the storm inside of me. The storms that toss our souls to and fro can cease, but only through the work of Jesus. I must be still and rest in the promises God declares over me.

Jesus brought the disciples safely through the storm, and he promises to do the same for us. He is the only one able to keep his promises. He said he would never leave us nor abandon us in our afflictions.

In this passage, Jesus models how we too should withdraw from our work on a regularly to rest and spend time with God. He is where we find our ultimate rest. During this time, we can be still and listen for God to respond. Once renewal occurs, re-engagement is necessary for growth in our personal and spiritual development.

Questions to Consider

In what areas of your life are you tempted to respond in fear rather than trust?

What best practice have you found encourages you to withdraw then re-engage?

How can you put this into practice this week?