The connection between stillness and soul care
exploring a Way of Life
“He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul”
Psalm 23:2-3
There is a clear link between restoration of the soul and still waters.
If we want to live in a place of soul restoration, it is vital to learn to be led to still waters.
This raises the obvious question, “How do we do that?”
First thing to note is that the shepherd takes the initiative. We are led to still waters. This creates a question: “Are we biddable?”
If not, what blocks our ability to be led? Often, the root of resistance is a lack of trust, which presents itself as independence. It is often the case that a highly independent person is also a very capable person. This is a learned skill and behaviour. It is a survival technique. Signs of this posture include:
difficulty receiving help,
discomfort with weakness,
inability to stop,
over-responsibility
In contrast, the psalmist makes it clear that the sheep do not create the still waters. They do not achieve restoration through effort. Restoration comes through trust, surrender, and being led. The expression used in this Psalm, “he makes me lie down’ (Psalm 23:2), is the Hebrew word rāḇaṣ, meaning “to stretch oneself out.”
The expression ‘still waters” is also interesting. It has a sense of quiet, of a resting place. It is used of the Ark of the Covenant in Numbers 10:33. The people of God are on a journey to the Promised Land, and they need to make scheduled stops and find a resting place. A place to be restored and refreshed, to reset before moving forward again.
I often find the first use of a word in scripture relevant. This expression ‘resting place’ is first referenced in Genesis 49 and is attached to Issachar, the son of Jacob, whose mother was Leah
“He saw that a resting place was good,
and that the land was pleasant,
so he bowed his shoulder to bear,
and became a servant at forced labour.”Genesis 49:15
The name Issachar means “reward or wages”, and so he is associated with earning the right to rest. There is a drivenness in Issachar.
In my view, this is connected to Issachar’s mother, Leah, who was not loved in the same way as her sister Rachel. She felt the need to earn her right to be loved by Jacob, who was tricked into marrying Leah. This laid the foundation for conflict and struggle. Often, our striving and our need to earn acceptance are rooted in a family system, an inherited mindset.
In psychology, family systems refers to a theoretical approach that views the family as an interconnected and interdependent unit, where each member’s behaviour affects and is affected by the others. It emphasises patterns of interaction, communication, roles, and boundaries within the family, rather than focusing on individuals in isolation.
In Issachar, we have a hard-working person trying to prove something. Notice the words that describe him: he bows his shoulder to bear; he becomes a servant at forced labour. His story is one of stability, fruitfulness and consistency. His tribe are productive and interestingly is known for wisdom and discernment, especially in leadership and decision-making.
“from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” 1 Chronicles 12:32.
Is this a metaphor for hard-working leaders (men and women) who are trying to prove something and find it difficult to rest?
They are driven, productive and seek strategic wisdom. They can be incredibly efficient and reliable, but their motivations may be mixed, and this can create a lack of trust in others. It can foster resentment that everything is left up to them to do. Their independence and their personal ability shape the circumstances around them and can sometimes cause them to be isolated.
This is why Psalm 23 is a wonderful corrective for hard-working leaders. We need to learn how to be led and how to rest, to seek the quiet and still waters.
Prayer
Lord, our shepherd, lead us to the still waters
Teach us to lay down every false responsibility,
Forgive us for our independence.
You are our sufficiency
We trust in you
Amen
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Great post thanks Scott. I heard from someone that still waters was a place a shepherd would take his sheep to a safe place to wash and heal their wounds ❤️🙏