Some people are good at being still. They’re good at being still and listening, living in the moment and not rushing. Then there are the rest of us operating in a seemingly perpetual whirl of chaos, cooking eggs while simultaneously speak texting a work email before before the school bus comes and wondering why we feel so frazzled by the end of the day. Being still is one of the great lost arts of our time. We just don’t have time to sit in prayer and meditation, and sadly our quality time with the Lord is one of the first activities to go. But being still is a huge proponent to our connectivity with God, and our inner peace. Here are five important things to understand about being still and knowing He is God.
“Be Still And Know That I Am God” Is All About God’s Refuge
Psalm 46 is written by David exalting God as a “refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.” God’s character never changes, even in difficult or confusing circumstances and he’s always there in our greatest times of need. So when we’re feeling overwhelmed by anything- temptation to sin- bouts of anxiety, fear or panic, we can be still, acknowledging our Father’s presence and authority over our circumstances, standing firm in God’s unwavering, paternal protection and deliverance in our lives.
Being Still Is Powerful
Being still and “knowing I am God” takes an intentional posturing of our spirits, quieting our mind and centering our thoughts on God. As soon as we do this, our worries, fears, negative emotions come under authority of the Holy Spirt. When experiencing a surge of negative emotions-anger, jealousy, insecurity, etc. tell yourself to pause. Pause the reactivity, pause the temptation to speak, and simply acknowledge God’s presence in the moment. It is amazing how much this shifts the spiritual atmosphere and quiets our hearts.
Being Still Is A Verb
Being still doesn’t mean remaining inactive or disengaged. It doesn’t mean quitting or waiting for God to do everything. When God commands us to be still and know He is God, He’s asking us to relinquish control of the situation to His sovereignty. That means surrendering control over things like timing, the outcomes we’re hoping for, and the way we’d like Him to work.
It’s obviously not enough to simply be quiet and listen. “Knowing that I am God” is even more powerful and important. We don’t have to go through our days solving our problems and carrying our burdens on our own strength. By pausing our fears, worries, frenzied thoughts, we’re allowing God to guide and support us, which is exactly what He wants. “Knowing that I am God” translates to a simple prayer: “God I know you’re bigger than this problem. I know you have authority over this struggle. You are bigger than my fears. So I give this moment to you.”
Being Still In God’ Presence Silences The Enemy
The enemy wants us to be frantic. And distracted. He wants us to feel over-committed, over-worked and weak so we don’t have time or energy to commune with God. Creepy to think about but it’s true. Even “good” chaos like Christmas prep or activities with the kids can steal our joy and peace if it leads us away from our daily time and prayer with Him. Eventually our restless, impatient self surfaces, and the enemy has us right where he wants us.
Being Still Takes Practice
Most of us moms are “doers.” And lots of us are worriers. Giving God control of our emotions and surrendering our natural desire to fix things on our own, out of impatience or distrust can be a difficult behavior to break. Practice being still and acknowledging God once a day, during times of stress or negativity. Pray for more trust in Him and a deeper revelation of his faithfulness, and being still in God’s presence will become increasingly more natural.
For more on being still, check out this message from Francis Chan.
