Stop! at the STOP sign

"Veronica, please make sure you stop at the stop sign. That was not a complete stop."

On any other day, a comment like that might have derailed me - distracted me from my goal and set me up for failure. But on this particular day, I decided to brush off the small setback, and set my mind on the goal I wanted to achieve for the day - my G driving license.

"Please remember to come to a complete stop whenever you're at the stop sign. Don't just slow down, but come to a complete stop."

My husband had reminded me of this several times before the road test - but, you know, old habits die hard. And to be fair, where I came from, we didn’t have the same road rule.

At that moment, I was sure I had already failed. My heart sank a little, but I reminded myself to stay focused. It wasn’t over yet. I decided to take my mind off of it, and focus on getting the future stop signs, and other road rules done right. I'm glad I decided to do that. I'm now a licensed driver in the province of Ontario!

After the adrenaline had worn off, and after sharing my joy with family and friends, I realized that there was one thought that kept coming back to my mind. The mistake I had made at the stop sign was an alarming reflection of my attitude towards life too. It is perhaps something that we all struggle with on a daily basis.

I remember sharing with my JY Household mates about how things around us are so INSTANT.

Need medicines? There's an app to order, and it's delivered to you in minutes.

Food? There's 2-minute Maggi or there's Uber Eats or there's Door Dash.

On Amazon, we are always looking out for same-day delivery deals.

In the midst of all this, when we want things to work out, a dream job, a dream spouse, a vacation, a business deal; we are frantically waiting for an instant turn around in things. We have forgotten how to STOP and appreciate the blessings and joys around us in that present moment.

Sometimes I find myself so immersed in asking God to make things work for me, that I don't even hear his voice asking me to STOP - to Be Still, and know that He is God. To know that He is in control, and He just longs for me to be in His presence. It’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture, the gift of the present moment, and instead focus solely on the next achievable goal calling out to us from the future.

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

Oftentimes, moments of silence bring an unsettling sense of nothingness - a feeling of delay, or that no progress is being made. But the words “Be still and know that I am God” are not just a call to pause; they are a call to trust. Stillness doesn’t mean nothing is happening. It means God is at work, even when we don’t see it or feel it.

So today, I encourage you to stop, or rather, to pause, and take just 10 minutes of silence to reflect on these questions:

• When was the last time you allowed yourself to truly pause?

• Is there an area of your life where God is asking you to slow down and trust Him more?

It might feel uncomfortable at first, but stillness is often where God speaks the loudest. If you're willing, here’s a gentle way to begin:

Take just 10 minutes today, find a quiet space, breathe deeply, and reflect on the questions above.

To help you on your journey, I’ve created a free printable journal page you can use during

your quiet time. You can print it out, write in it, and keep it as a reminder that God is always at work - even in the waiting. Click on the link below to download it and begin your time of stillness.

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Let's pray together:

Lord, in the noise of my thoughts and the rush of my day, help me to be still. Remind me that Your timing is perfect and Your presence is enough. Teach me to trust You, even when I don’t understand the delay. Let my moments of silence be filled with the assurance that You are near, working all things for good. Amen.

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