Be Still…
“Be still and know that I am God...”
This is such a powerful verse. It is a fairly simple verse. Yet, it is one of the hardest verses to actually obey. Mind you, this is not a complicated command from God. He is not calling us to conquer the world for the sake of Christianity, or to establish a large following of disciples. This verse doesn’t even ask us to do certain difficult things like forgive others or give money. It is simply asking us to be still, and to know that God is, well, God. This shouldn’t require much of us, right?
Yet it does. It requires us to submit all of our cares and worries to a higher force. It requires us to humbly admit that we are not God ourselves and are not completely in control of our lives and of what happens around us. It commands that even in a stormy season, or a rocky situation, even when our back is against the wall, even when our legs give out, we must be still.
Heck, this is hard for me to do even when everything is seemingly going right. This is an indicator for a soul-issue, and what inspired me to write this post. Ever since I was a kid I would get so anxious during my free time. It would be summer break or the weekend, a time when you are supposed to live carefree and relax, and I would constantly feel like I had to do something. Something important or something to work towards my future. Something to improve myself or to help others around me. Some chore, some goal, some dream. It would steal my peace. I always felt like I was wasting time.
Now in my 20s I still experience this. Now with bills, errands, and all kinds of other tasks. This verse has been brought up in my life numerous times in the recent years, and it’s about time that I really understand what it means and follow its advise.
In other words, God is telling us “chill out”, “I got this”, “relax”, “let me handle this”, “you do not have to worry”, “this is God’s job”.
Through my secret pride I have gained the belief that way more in this world depends on me than it actually does. I believe that one day can make or break my future, one afternoon relaxing instead of finding work to do will make me lazy, one day of rest is missed opportunities. However, the real opportunities that I am missing are what is found in those moments of rest.
Intimacy with my Creator is resting in His presence. Trusting that He is God and can/will handle all aspects of my life for me. I do my part, sure, but it is not my role to control the outcomes and intricacies of life. I do not have to understand everything. I do not have to be perfect. God is the One outside of time and space and has ultimate power and authority. Not only that, but He is ultimate love and goodness. Way more good than I will ever be. Smarter than I could ever dream of being. Wiser than everyone on Earth combined times a trillion.
This is truly a God that I can trust in and once I realize that, I can truly be still and rest under His wing.
Reject the false hope of hyper-productivity. True productivity is trusting in God.
Have a great week and be blessed!
