I’d take time to relax but I just can’t stand standing still

There is a place in the Bible that describes the life of the busy and persecuted Elijah. Although chosen and set apart by God to be His prophet, Elijah’s life was by no means easy. He was under constant threat from by people either ignorant of, or outright counter to, the supreme being that was his boss. At one point God takes Elijah aside and shows him three astounding signs of power: a storm, and earthquake and a fire. Each of these frightening events was a clear demonstration of God’s might, yet each occurrence was concluded with the words: “but the Lord was not in the”

But the Lord was not in the wind; but the Lord was not in the earthquake; but the Lord was not in the fire. A forth event followed the first three. It was far less spectacular, far less powerful, far less mighty. It was nothing more than a gentle whisper, yet it was only at this point that Elijah could recognize God’s presence. Only when he himself had quieted down, only when the storm in his soul had subsided, only when he stopped quaking in his boots, only with the fires of anger and revenge had been squelched could the prophet hear God’s voice.

Well, that’s not what the Bible actually says; it doesn’t equate Elijah’s mental or emotional state with the various events that fail to reveal God’s presence. Yet I do know from personal experience and from years of observation that we are often the source of our own deafness and blindness to what is happening around us, or even within us. Often we are so busy stressing and worrying and fretting about our situation that we don’t take time or have the capacity to assess things clearly and accurately. Our internal turmoils stirs us up so much that we are rendered incapable of doing anything to lessen our upset. We might even be so caught up in the distractions and symptoms of our upset that we forget what’s really bothering us in the first place, so much so that we start to believe that our symptoms are really our main problem.

On the other side of the equation we are taught that being busy means that we are worth something. Our driven society often functions on the notion that stillness and calm are signs of laziness or worthlessness. Idle hands are the devil’s workplace, we are told. Do nothing and bad things will happen. Relax and let your guard down and somebody will take advantage of you.

Yet in the case of Elijah, God’s chosen man, wind, earthquake and fire do not reveal the creator. Only in the small whisper can God be heard.

There is a broader truth here: only in the silent whisper can we hear ourselves think; only in the quiet whisper can we therefore hear ourselves in the act of being. I hear myself think, therefore I hear myself.

It’s a curious thing. Seventy percent of warehouse workers say they are more productive when there is music playing in the background. I wonder why that is so. Is it because the rhythm of the music helps them move better, loosens them up so that they’re actions are more fluid and efficient? Is it because the joyful sounds and harmonies create a party-like atmosphere that is more conducive to enjoying the drudgery of their jobs? Or is it because they are afraid of the stillness, of the silence, what what they might hear should they be allowed to lose themselves in their thoughts? If it is in the stillness that we hear ourselves think, therefore hear ourselves being, is there a fear in warehouse workers and ordinary folks alike of what we might hear when we allow ourselves to think? Sure, I’d take time to relax, but I can’t stand standing still, because when I stand still, my brain starts working.

My personal hero, Philo T. Farnsworth, was a daring and original thinker. He is the genius that came up with the idea for television as we first knew it. His creative mind not only came up with the original concept, it helped him solve the myriad of issues and problems that arose as his theoretical concept became a practical reality. He experienced long periods of protracted activity, revealed himself as the poster boy for the workaholic and on several occasions, worked himself to the point of fruitless exhaustion. The busier he became, the less effective he was. On at least two separate occasions he had to step back and find the stillness. And it was in the stillness that he formulated some of his greatest ideas.

Not all of us are great thinkers or creative geniuses. But all of us have thoughts that need thinking. When we are busy and distracted these thoughts fade into the background. They are safely (not really) tucked away, far from the spotlight of our awareness. Yet tucked away in the darkness they do not remain dormant. Healthy thoughts bubble and boil and cry out for our attention. Unhealthy thoughts fester and rot and infect our very souls. When we do not think, when we hide from our thoughts, when we bury them, we are no longer. I do not allow myself to think; therefore I am nothing.

I wish to be who and what I am, wholly and intentionally. I cannot live truly and fully if I do not allow myself to think what must be thought. I must take time to relax, to stand still, to listen to the small whispers from deep within my soul. I am not just because I think I am. I only am when I am conscious and aware of what I am thinking.