Pray In the Stillness (PrayerLife)

Michigan, near Adrian

In The Knowledge of the Holy A.W. Tozer writes: "The words, "Be still, and know that I am God," mean next to nothing to the self-confident, bustling worshipper in this middle period of the twentieth century." (Tozer, A.W., The Knowledge of the Holy, Kindle Locations 25-26 - only 99 cents for your Kindle!)

"Stillness" is a condition of the mind and heart; i.e., a condition of one's inner being. Stillness allows us to attend to one voice, in this case the voice of God.

Literally "be still" (in Ps. 46:10) means "cease struggling," or "stop striving." A cluttered, linking, tweeting mind goes many places at once. Numerous thoughts vie for attention. A struggling mind is a "many-thinged" mind, a double- and even triple-minded thing. 

It's either stillness or striving. The meeting place with God is in the former.

This is why I recommend taking longer prayer times. For example, an hour, if not regularly, at least on occasion. It takes most of us more time to detox our hearts and minds from struggle to stillness. Our culture places little value on this. I have to carve out these still-spaces for myself.

Pray in the stillness.