Be Still

Total time needed to complete today’s challenges:
10 min for video and reading +
10 min of challenges

Welcome to Day 1: quiet the chaos!

Each day you will be adding another 10-minute prayer segment into your day. Sometimes you will need to plan for a private time to do your challenge on that day – and sometimes you’ll be able to do it while you are driving in your car to and from work.

Today, I want you to do it right where you are, as you ready yourself for 10 days of challenges that will place you right where He wants you: with your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author, and perfector of your faith.

This is not a method of looking backward and untangling old nets. It is not a navel-gazing method to trying to figure your mess out. It is a challenge to let Holy Spirit be your guide and helper (Jn 16:23, 14:26).

And it starts with being still.

Practicing Stillness

A mind given over to sexual sin, or struggling with sexual sin, finds it very difficult to be still. It’s always racing. In fact, in our culture, it is very difficult for anyone to get away from the noise and buzz of every device, advertisement, pop-up, and notification. So each day of your 10 Day Freedom Challenge will start with ten minutes of being still.

That means no phone. No laptop. No YouTube. No playlist. No radio.

Just ten minutes of waiting on the Lord as you hold a pencil and are poised to write in your journal. Or maybe you just are sitting up on the edge of your couch and listening for His voice.

Trust me – it’s difficult. That’s why it’s called a challenge. But it’s doable by His grace.

Here’s my tip and what I practice:

Bring one scripture from the Word of God as your focus for meditation. Use that to simply 1) stay awake, 2) focus your thoughts, 3) deflect distractions, and 4) guide your 10 minutes.

Start with this: “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalms 46:10

I literally say out loud (sometimes in my head) “Be STILL and know…” and then “Be still and KNOW…”, focusing on what each of the words mean. I will declare things like “I can be still and know…” or “I will be still and know…” and I try to stop talking to myself and just wait to listen.

While God speaks in earthquakes, whirlwinds, and sounds like thunder, He is also a still small voice that requires a quietness of spirit to hear Him. And quiet moments are rare. They make us feel uncomfortable. Especially men. We fill gaps with words because silence makes us feel uncomfortable and vulnerable.

You’ll hear me often encourage you to become more “comfortable with the uncomfortable” – so let’s start now.

Write down anything you sense from the Lord in your first 10-minute prayer set.

May you never be the same after these 10 days. Set a timer for 10 minutes and let’s begin drawing near to The One who authored and perfects us.