Stilling the Noise

“He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’” (Psalm 46:10 NIV)

This Psalm is about the noise of upheaval and destruction.  There is trouble afoot.  There are earthquakes; mountains are collapsing; the oceans are roiling; nations are in the midst of upheaval and some are falling.  The world appears to be at the brink. But in the midst of all the trouble, the Lord says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

This Psalm likely resonates with you because there is so much troubling noise in the world.  There’s the minor background noise of entrenched politicians who seem unable to act civilly or do what is in the best interests of the country; cable news shows that handle debate like third-graders; coverage of Kim Kardashian and other celebrities, and the constant din of social media, which typically is filled with plenty of snark. Add to that the noise of our own lives, the responsibilities and challenges we face.  Then add to that the serious noise of ISIS, Syria, Ebola, Ukraine, climate change, etc., and one can begin to feel life is one constant distraction or crisis, putting us in a mode of continual anxiousness.  Do we just tolerate it or is there a better way?

I find it comforting that the Lord takes it all in stride.  The world may appear to be falling apart or on the brink, the noise may be overwhelming, but God is not fazed.  “Be still.” “Know I am God.”  Like the father who grabs his child that’s stuck on a slippery rock in the middle of stream, saying “I’ve got you” as he wraps his arms around him, the Lord is saying to us, “Trust me, I’ve got you.”

No matter the noise in our lives, stilling ourselves to reflect on the bigness of God to handle any situation is always the best way to manage it.  Like focusing on conversing with one person in a crowded room, the noise of other conversations slips into the background.  The more we still ourselves to hear God, the quieter our worlds become.

Today, when your noisy world becomes overwhelming, remember the way to still the noise is to still yourself and focus on the Lord.  As you do, no matter how loud the noise, it will fade into the background and you will hear His comforting voice more clearly saying, “Trust me, I’ve got you.”

© Jim Musser 2014