Quit Fidgeting!

Roads are a remedy to all that was boring.

I had to chuckle when I read that from Steve Farrar’s book “How to Ruin Your Life by 40” yesterday. He was quoting his son’s reflections on the excitement of turning 18, getting a driver’s license and enjoying the first taste of freedom of being an adult.

I laughed because it poignantly cuts through the heart of our aversion to extended periods of stillness and quietude. We love it when we’re busy. Young people today can’t stand ten minutes of sitting still and doing nothing. Look at them when they get to the elevators, cafes and train stations and you won’t find a single soul who is not fidgeting and incessantly pressing the buttons of their gadgets.

Interestingly, the Bible has many exhortations for people to stop and think things over. In the book of Psalms alone, you will find the word Selah scattered all around. Some say that Selah means to “pause and think of that!” Whether it’s the musical sign for “rest” or an exhortation for the congregation to pause for a while and think things over, we can’t be certain. One thing is sure, stopping is as much of a biblical command as going on and moving forward.

When was the last time you paused and really thought things over? When was the last time your meditation was a little over five minutes? Could it be that the reason why you are hard pressed on every side with problems is because you’re not hearing God right? Are your activities necessary or are they just a coverup so you could dodge the facts that you need to face?