Stillness

 

Photo by Laurie Collett 2025

Recently my husband and I were blessed to have a midweek escape for a few days at our favorite beach getaway. Even better, we felt as if we had the privacy of being castaways on our own deserted island, yet with all the comforts of home.

In the quiet fall season, after families on summer vacation leave the island, and before “snowbirds” come for the warm Florida weather, the beach is relatively quiet. But today it is empty, save for the two of us, a few nesting shore birds, a great blue heron surveying the coast, and a lone osprey circling overhead. The weather is perfect, sunny and warm but not humid, with an occasional refreshing ocean breeze. The sky is a soothing shade of robin's egg blue, with a few feathery clouds scattered artistically about.

But most astounding to me is the ocean, as smooth as glass, except for a few lacy ripples along the shoreline. The sun sparkles on the calm surface, silvery light streaking through the azure water in an intricate pattern.

The last time I remember it being this still was just over one year ago, on our last visit of the season before the devastation of Hurricanes Milton and Helene. The island took a direct hit in both storms, but thankfully no one was harmed.

 Although it was a great blessing that the beachfront homes (on stilts) remained structurally sound, everything underneath washed away – decks, stairs, air conditioners, sheds, golf carts, electrical and plumbing lines all gone overnight, as well as the community pool house.

Initially there was no power or phone service and the roads were impassable. Checking on damage had to be done by drone images or by climbing a very tall ladder to enter the house. For six months after the storms, the homes were not habitable because there was no sewer.

Thankfully, however, most homes are now repaired and insurance has covered a large part of the expense. Yet today as I view the stillness of the ocean, I pray that this is not the calm before the storm, as this year’s hurricane season has six weeks remaining.

Just as I had experienced on the last visit before last year’s hurricanes, the stillness today is such a welcome respite from the busyness and turmoil of daily life. We need to come apart with God (Mark 6:31), away from the world’s distractions, temptations, and discord, just as Jesus did even during the busiest times of His ministry (Matthew 14:23). We need to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).

Activity, even potentially beneficial activity such as serving in church or volunteer work for a good cause, is no substitute for spiritual growth. Such growth cannot occur without quiet time dedicated to knowing Jesus Christ better and to worshipping Him. We cannot forsake prayer, Bible study, and faithful attendance to corporate worship and to Christian fellowship without drifting away from God, no matter how sincere our motives in other aspects of Christian service (Hebrews 10:25).

We must be like Mary, sitting at Jesus’ feet and learning from His Word, and not like her sister Martha, too caught up in busyness and in serving to worship Him. We must choose quiet fellowship with Him, as did Mary, over being burdened and anxious about “Christian” activity (Luke 10:38-42).

The stillness we experience when alone with God may allow us to recover from intense spiritual warfare, or to prepare us for physical or emotional trials or spiritual battles to come. Both were the case with the prophet Elijah after God gave him a great victory against the false prophets of Baal. The one true God poured out fire on the soggy altar and brought torrential rain in the prolonged drought, then Elijah slew all of Baal’s prophets with a sword. Yet he was ready to give up and even asked God to take his life when the evil queen Jezebel threatened to kill him (1 Kings 18-19).

But God knew exactly what Elijah needed. He led him to a shady spot under a juniper tree to sleep. God then sent him an angel who told him to eat and drink, giving him a freshly baked cake and water. After a second night’s sleep, the angel again gave him food and water, which sustained him for a 40 day-and-night journey to Horeb, the mount of God. There God spoke to Elijah, not in the strong wind, earthquake or fire He first showed Elijah, but in a still, small voice (1 Kings 19:4-12). God then gave Elijah clear instructions regarding His plan for him.

Often we find the stillness to be calming and restorative. Yet at other times, we may grow impatient, wrongly perceiving that God is ignoring us or delaying His response to our prayers.

As my husband and I stroll along the deserted beach, we realize that the still waters allow us a glimpse of life and activity teeming beneath the surface, which are usually invisible in the ocean waves. First we notice schools of tiny silver-green fish along the shore, darting this way and that. Then pairs or triplets of gray fish, about the length of my hand, playfully switching positions.

To our surprise and delight, the ocean is so calm that we spot an 18-inch fish, gray with yellow-tipped fins and black markings on the underside.  It swims steadily alongside us as we walk, occasionally darting at great speed through a swarm of smaller fish, causing them to scatter.  Soon we realize that our ocean friend is not alone, as similar fish appear nearby.

“All we’re missing now to complete this picture is a dolphin,” my husband said.

As if on cue, a large black fin and curved gray body of a graceful dolphin appeared, barely emerging from the water, diving below the surface, then reappearing some distance away!

It reminds me that God is always at work for our ultimate good and His glory, even when we don’t perceive His plan to work all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).  We don't see the myriad species and the flurry of activity in the ocean when choppy waves distort the surface -- we need the stillness to see what lies beneath. Nor can we appreciate or understand God's plan for us if we are too distracted by the clamor of the world, our own desires, and even our own activity, whether or not such activity seems to be productive or done in His service.

Once we become God's children by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), we can have faith that He will lead us beside the still waters and restore our soul (Psalm 23:2-3).

He may do this to allow us to recover from intense spiritual warfare or to prepare us for the next spiritual victory, for we know that the battle is the Lord’s (1 Samuel 17:47), and that the victory is certain through His Son! (1 Corinthians 15:57).

May we thank God for the rare periods of stillness in our lives when we can most clearly hear His voice and perceive His perfect plan for us. May we deliberately seek out quiet time with Him, hear His still, small voice, and seek His face through prayer, studying His Word, and praising and worshipping Him alone and with fellow believers!

Copyright 2025 Laurie Collett