Most of us are familiar with the words from Psalm 46:10 to “be still, and know that I am God,” but in these days of global pandemic, hourly updates filled with alarming statistics and dire warnings, it can be challenging to still our anxious thoughts.
One spiritual discipline which I have found to be very helpful is Centering Prayer, which is a form of contemplative prayer that helps to quiet scattered thoughts in the still centre of Christ’s presence.
The ”how -to’s” of centering prayer are relatively simple:
1. Prayerfully choose a word or phrase from Scripture that expresses your desire for God. For example, you might choose Abba, or Jesus, or Shepherd, or Healer. For the past few months I have focused on the word “abide.”
2. Settle in a comfortable position, quiet your heart in God’s presence, and focus on your word or phrase.
3. Know that it is not unusual to find that your mind starts wandering. That’s natural. Gently bring your focus back to God using your word. Be with God. Listen to God. Be still. Rest in the centre of God’s love.
I’d suggest starting with five minutes and building up over time. I’ve discovered a wonderful app called Centering Prayer which allows me to set a timer with gentle sounds to begin and end the time. In these anxious days, I am grateful for the invitation to take time to be still and know that He is God.
