Make me be STILL

You can tell how my week has been when you find out that I went to bed last night with an old Madonna song in my head and 3 to-do lists running, and I woke up this morning with a Ben Folds song in my head and 4 to-do lists running. *Sigh* It has been one of those weeks, and not just for me. I feel as though I'm surround by people who are frustrated with life, work, church, etc. People who are expecting more and aren't satisfied. People who are hurting because of loss, brokenness, physical pain. People struggling with doubt, fear, anger, and maybe even a bit of insanity (maybe that's just me...ha). I've experienced all of these things, and although I am the person I am today because of it, that doesn't take away the aching strain that life puts on us. This is why my devotion last night was so meaningful to me. It's taken from "The One Year Daily Grind" devotional by Sarah Arthur. This devotional has been awesome thus far...I would highly recommend it for people who are a bit scattered - people who can handle daily devotional readings without a ton of structure. (Sarah is a divinity student @ Duke, married to her best friend (Tom) and has written 6 devotional books...need I say more?)

It's a poem/prayer she wrote called "Make Me Be Still" based loosely on Psalm 131:

God, make me be still.

My mind is full of words and pictures
and ideas I imagine to be true.
My heart is full of desires
I wrongfully feel I'm entitled to.
My body is full of sleep
and cobwebs and dust.
My soul is empty.

Now I know that when
my rambling, fast-forward
high-powered mind
and my creative, unrealistic imagination
take over my life,
my relationship with You suffers.
And when my body is sleepy,
I'm not awake to Your presence.
When my soul is empty,
I have nothing to give to others.

So if my mind is taking over,
let my thoughts be full of you, Jesus.
And if my imagination is taking over,
let it be baptized and sanctified by you, Jesus.
And if my body is taking over,
may it be awakened and energized by you, Jesus.
And if my soul is empty,
pour in your Holy Spirit till I'm full to overflowing.
Be the conscious control
over every aspect of who I am,
for it is in You that I live
and move and have my very being.

Amen.