1.8.23 - Choosing Stillness (Kenny Camacho)

SCRIPTURE: Psalms 46 & 131


“Stillness is necessary not just for our humility, not just because it helps us listen, but because it demonstrates trust: God will do it! It’s true that He may use you to carry out His purposes… but we are not His commissioned soldiers, running out to change the world on His behalf! This is where our attempts at discipleship so often go wrong: we want to learn how to be better Christians on our own–’follow these 10 foolproof steps and your faith will grow! You will be happy! You will be holy! God will be impressed!’  But the whole point of being Christian is getting out of the performance-based economy of the world! When we choose stillness, when we choose to do  ‘nothing’ instead of ‘something,’ we’re practicing trust in God to see His own plans to the end. This isn’t easy to do, and it’s certainly not comfortable. But it’s what we can choose to do, if we really want to participate in God’s Kingdom rather than build up our own.”

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. Evaluate your current relationship to the practice of “stillness” in your life: when are you still? Is stillness difficult for you? Why?

  2. Read and reconsider Psalm 46, from an historical viewpoint: why might stillness have been difficult for David? What temptations towards “busy-ness” would have been present in his life? How might he have been tempted to justify “busy” choices? What does this psalm reveal about how God is challenging those choices?

  3. Kenny said stillness does 3 things in this sermon. The first is that stillness surrenders control. What do you think this means? 

  4. The second is that stillness fosters listening. Has this been your experience? What makes someone a good/bad listener? Evaluate your own listening practices.

  5. The third is that stillness demonstrates trust. How does this work? How is “demonstrating trust” different from “surrendering control”? 

  6. Read and reconsider Psalm 46, from your own viewpoint: what could you learn from the choice to be still? How might the decision to be still be a blessing for you?

  7. Where are the best opportunities for stillness in your life? How can you practice being still this week? 

Kenny Camacho