Tuning Into God: 4 Spiritual PracticesSample

Tension may show up in your body before you’re even aware of it in your mind. A knot in the pit of your stomach or a furrowed brow may be your best indicator that something’s wrong. 

When you feel ill at ease, it could be you’re walking into a broken situation where you need God’s perspective. Or it could be your own fear, anger, or judgement that’s coming between you and God. The practice of stilling your body and scanning for tension can be a good step to tuning into God’s wisdom. 

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God!” The Hebrew verb “raphah” which is translated as “be still” literally means “to let something drop, to let go, or to abandon something.” 

When you find tension in your body – something that keeps you from being comfortably still – maybe there’s something you need to let go of. It could be an underlying fear that you need to give to God, or a response like anger or judgement that you need to ask God to forgive. Or it could be you’re facing a difficult situation and you need to prayerfully reflect about what next steps you can take. 

Ask God to help you address the root cause of your tension. Then ask God to give you his stillness.

Practice stilling your body:

• Close your eyes and scan your body from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head. Where do you notice pain or tension?
• Ask God: What does this tension mean?
• Let it go. Practically, this might mean forgiving someone, or asking for forgiveness, or praying about what next step you can take to restore a broken situation.
• Ask God to take away the tension and help you relax.
• Take a few slow breaths until you feel calm and still.

Prayer: God, still my body, and let me know you.

Further Exploration: Read an interview with author Lauren Winner on being still.