Quieted Souls

But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.  Psalm 131:1

It's been "one of those days" for me. Life seems to compound itself with stress and misfortune. It's the type of day where you want to shimmy back in bed, wrap the soft covers around your weary body, and pray you fall asleep fast. Do you ever wonder how a day can begin with such peace and refreshment and end with mass frustration? What happened in the middle? Life.  

Read Psalms 131. Psalms 131 is one of the 15 Psalms (extending from chapters 120-134) included in the "Psalms of Ascent." The Hebrew transliteration means "to go up". These 15 songs (or psalms) were sung on the pilgrimage by the people to the Three Great Feasts.

1 My heart is not proud, Lord,
    my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
    or things too wonderful for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted myself,
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child I am content.

3 Israel, put your hope in the Lord
    both now and forevermore.

This psalm reminds us that while we whirl through life, we must be still so Jesus can quiet our souls. When was the last time – in the messy middle of the day – you found a few minutes and took a deep breath? Just a thirty-second conversation with Jesus can cause frustrations to be released. But, unfortunately, we live off the adrenaline, emotions, and fatigue instead of removing ourselves from the chaos and allowing God to quiet our hearts.

As you journey through life, find a place where you can pull back from life and “not concern yourself with great matters.” Choose at least one place to retreat and talk to God. He's waiting. He’s got you.

Reflection: If we desire "to go up" with God, we must develop a routine that extracts us from our concerns and positions us to place our hope in the Lord. Think of your "pull-back place" where you can recenter on God and then share it in the Comments below.