Don't just do something — sit there!

How often during your life has someone said to you, “Don’t just sit there; do something.” Silence in a conversation is uncomfortable for many. I think the same is true for sitting instead of doing. Unfortunately, for many, that discomfort leads to overdoing. Does it for you?

Perhaps it’s time to change the pace of your life. Don’t just do something; sit there. Commit to being a human being more often than you’re a human doing. 

 

Drop any judgment you may have about waiting time being wasted time. A friend taught me that those long grocery lines we wait in and the traffic jams we get stuck in are angel spacing. They are pauses that protect us from trouble elsewhere.

 

Don’t characterize the times of stillness in your life as boring or unproductive. When you are still, you don’t need to know anything. You don’t need to want anything. You don’t need to be anything. Even the still times, like the active times, have much to teach us. And don’t fool yourself that quiet times are empty. If you keep your eyes open, you may be surprised by what they hold for you. 

 

And if your to-do list doesn’t get done, keep in mind what writer Lin Yutang wrote: “Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone.”

 

It’s not easy finding the balance between doing and being. In fact, the doing often wins out. If you find yourself in that situation, take a deep breath and recite the following prayer:

 

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

BE.

 

Thanks for calling this circle of love today. Be still and know that we’re always here for you, just like we know you’re here for us. Leave a message or prayer request if you’d like. Share this number with friends, and family and call again soon. Cheers!