Be Still

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,  the holy place where the Most High dwells.  God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.  The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.  Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth.  He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth.  He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.

He says, ‘be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations  I will be exalted in the earth.’ The Lord Almighty is with us;  the God of Jacob is our fortress.” (Psalm 46 NIV) 

Typically, when life is in an uproar, when things are chaotic, we tend toward frenetic activity.  We are stressed and worried.  The adrenaline is flowing; the heart is racing.  Someone might say, “You need to calm down,” but we don’t listen.  The matters of the moment dominate our thoughts and crowd out any thought of peace.  We think and feel something has to be done.  Our minds rush to find solutions or grasp for thoughts of comfort.  The last thing we want to do is be still, to wait, to trust.

This Psalm captures the feel of chaos and upheaval.  One gets the sense that things are out of control.  Yet, there in the midst of the turmoil is the command: “Be still and know that I am God.”

It’s not what we want to do, or think we ought to do.  When life is in an uproar, our natural tendency is to rush about in body and mind to deal with the situation.  But God says, rather, “Be still.”  “Know that I am God.”  In other words, “Know that I am in control.  I am bigger than the chaos in which you find yourself.  You can trust me to get you through this.  Be quiet and take a moment to reflect on just how big and powerful I am.  You, my child, have nothing to fear.  I am here and in control.”

Today, know that no matter how chaotic or overwhelming life may seem to be, there is One who is in control, to whom you can go for help.  Be still and trust Him.  He is big enough to handle whatever life throws at you.

© Jim Musser 2015