Brave Hearted Ministry Summer Retreat: Session Two: Be Still by Rev. Maria Guzman

 

Session Two: Be Still

Learning to Listen

"Be still and know that I am God!" Psalm 46:10 NLT

Hello Brave Hearted Steppers,

I pray Session One went well for you!

Retreat Moment

Before you begin this session, take a slow, deep breath.

Release any tension you are carrying.

Set aside your to-do list, your worries, and the conversations still echoing in your mind.

Ask the Holy Spirit to quiet your heart.

Remember, God is not asking you to perform today - He is simply inviting you to be with Him.

If possible, find a quiet place where you can spend a few uninterrupted moments in His presence before continuing.

Welcome & Reflection

After we arrive in God's presence, the next invitation is to be still.

For many of us, (including myself), stillness does not come naturally. Our lives are filled with constant activity, responsibilities, notifications, conversations, and endless thoughts competing with our attention. Even in moments of prayer, our minds often race ahead of everything that still needs to be done.

Yet, through Scripture, God repeatedly invites His people to slow down.

Stillness is not laziness or inactivity. It is a posture of trust.

It is choosing to release our need to control every situation and instead resting in the confidence that God is already at work.

One of the most remarkable moments in Scripture is when the prophet Elijah expected God to appear through dramatic displays of power - a mighty wind, an earthquake, and fire. Yet God chose to speak through a gentle whisper.

How often we are searching for God in the extraordinary while He is quietly speaking in the ordinary?

God's voice is never absent. Sometimes our lives are simply too loud to recognize it.

Today, the Lord lovingly invites you to quiet the noise - not because He has stopped speaking, but because He desires for you to hear Him more clearly.

As you continue this retreat, ask yourself not only, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" but also, "Lord, what do You want me to hear?"

Key Scriptures

Psalm 46:10 NLT "Be Still and know that I am God"

"Be still": The Hebrew word raphah means to let go, release, relax, or cease striving. God is inviting us to loosen our grip on fear, anxiety, and control so we can rest in His sovereignty.

"Know": The Hebrew word yada means far more than intellectual knowledge. It speaks of knowing through personal experience and intimate relationship. God is inviting us not merely to know about Him, but to know Him deeply.

1 Kings 19:11-12 NLT "...After the fire there was a sound of a gentle whisper."

"Gentle whisper": The Hebrew expression often translated as "a gentle whisper" refers to a delicate, quiet sound. Elijah discovered that God often communicates in ways that require attentive hearts rather than dramatic expectations.

Isaiah 30:15 NLT "This is what the Sovereign Lord...says:'Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence in your strength.'"

"Quietness": Biblically, quietness reflects inner peace, calm confidence, and settled trust in God. Our strength is not found in franctic striving but in resting securely in Him.

Reflection Questions

Take a few quiet moments with the Lord and reflect:

1. What noise is making it difficult for me to hear God?

2. Where have I been striving instead of trusting?

3. When do I find it hardest to be still?

4. How might God be inviting me to slow down in this season?

5. What would change if I truly believed that God is already at work?

Journal Prompts

Write honestly before the Lord:

1. "Lord, today my heart feels..."

2. "The greatest distraction in my life right now is..."

3. "I struggle to be still because..."

4. "Today, I sense, through Your presence, You are inviting me to..."

5. "One area I need to surrender into Your hands is..."

Pause, Pray, Take 30!

One of the practices we continue throughout this retreat is Pause, Pray, Take 30!

Throughout your day, intentionally pause to become aware of God's presence.

Stop

Breathe

Invite Him into the moment.

Even thirty seconds of intentional stillness can reorient your heart toward Christ.

"Never stop praying." 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT

Today's Pause Prompt

Pause wherever you are.

Take a slow breath

Whisper. 

"Lord, quiet my heart so I can hear Your voice."

Remain silent for at least thirty seconds before continuing your day. You can do this as many times throughout your day.

Practice

Practice creating intentional moments of stillness with God.

Choose one or more:

1. Spend five uninterrupted minutes sitting quietly with God each morning. 

2. Read Psalm 46:10 each day and meditate on one word that stands out to you.

3. Turn off music, podcasts, or social media during one part of your day and simply listen.

4. Complete at least three Pause, Pray, Take 30! moments each day.

5. End each evening by thanking God for one way He revealed Himself throughout the day.

Remember, learning to hear God's voice is not about trying harder - it is about making room for Him.

Prayer

Father God,

Thank you for being a God who still speaks to Your children. Forgive me for the moments when I have allowed busyness, worry or distraction to drown out Your gentle voice. Teach me to release my need to control every circumstance and to trust that You are faithfully working, even when I cannot see it. Quiet my heart, Lord. Help me to recognize Your presence in both the ordinary and extraordinary moments of life. Give me ears to hear, eyes to see, and a heart that is attentive to Your leading. As I continue this retreat, help me become someone who not only speaks to You in prayer, but also waits expectantly to listen. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Brave Hearted Challenge

Before our next session, intentionally create one "quiet appointment" with God each day. 

Leave your phone behind.

Turn off distractions.

Sit quietly with Him for at least five minutes.

Don't rush to fill the silence.

Simply listen.

Write in your journal:

1. What did I notice while sitting quietly with God?

2. What thoughts or Scriptures came to mind?

3. How did I experience His peace today?

If you feel comfortable, share your experience in the blog comments to encourage someone else on their Brave Hearted journey.

Your quiet moments may inspire someone else's faith.

Brave Hearted Blessing

May your heart become quiet enough to recognize the gentle voice of your Shepherd.

May every anxious thought be surrendered into His loving hands.

May His peace settle deeply within your soul as you learn to trust Him more fully.

May you discover that His silence is never His absence, and that His presence has been with you all along.

May you continue walking with confidence, listening with expectation, and resting in the faithful love of Christ.

Walk Brave Heartedly.

Rev. Maria Guzman, Founder of Brave Hearted Ministry

Sneak Peek

Session Three - Remain

In our next session, we will discover what it means to remain connected to Jesus every day, drawing our strength, peace, and purpose from the True Vine as we learn to abide in His love.