Vol. 19 No. 02 | January 9, 2017
Be still, and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10, NIV)
Being still is seldom easy, but it can be especially difficult in these early days of the New Year.
You have a plan and you are ready to move forward with your plan. Then you are reminded of the Lord’s words, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
You have made a decision to make a change and you are ready to start. Then, you hear the Lord say, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
You have delayed making a decision because you cannot seem to find peace with your decision. Maybe you need to read the Lord’s words again, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
You have shared your dream with some close friends and they keep telling you to move forward, but you keep hearing the Lord’s words, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
You have set a deadline that is rapidly approaching, you feel the pressure building, but you cannot escape the words from the Lord, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
It is a difficult dilemma. Ready to act. Needing to wait. Ready to move. Needing to be still.
Sometimes the reluctance to act is due to fear. You just are not sure that it is the right thing to do. You fear making the wrong decision, so you wait. That may be why the Lord is reminding you, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
Sometimes the hesitance to act is because you have not done your homework. You want to make a change but you are not sure of the impact your decision will have on you, your family, your friends, or your co-workers. All you know is that you are ready for a change. That may be why the Lord is reminding you, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
Sometimes you know you need to do something different but you do not know what to do. Maybe that is why you keep seeing these words from the Lord everywhere you go, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
The second part of this well-known message gives us the purpose for being still. The purpose is not just to be still or to avoid a move. The purpose is to remind us that God is God. God is watching over the events of our lives. God knows us better than we know ourselves. God knows what is best for us and is always at work towards what is best for us. The passage reminds us of what we often forget: God is God and we are not.
God wants us to be still long enough to remember that we have the ultimate source of wisdom, strength, and power at our disposal.
As difficult as it may be, there are times when the best thing we can do is to be still, so let me offer these observations.
Being still does not necessarily mean you are lazy. Of course, there is the possibility that you are lazy and using God’s message to excuse your laziness or your fear. But do not let people guilt you or shame you into action when you know the best approach for the moment is to be still.
Being still does not mean you are doing nothing. Some people cannot be still. And they cannot stand by and allow you to just be still. Stillness to them equals waste. If you are listening for the Lord’s direction and waiting for His peace do not allow the pressure from others to force you into action just to please them. Being still is doing something.
Being still may be the best thing you can do. Have you ever been hurt or offended and reacted in anger only to regret it? Have you ever made a quick decision without taking time to seek the Lord’s wisdom only to regret the outcome? Had you taken time to be still and ponder God’s presence, maybe that email would not have been sent, that phone call would not have been made, and maybe you would not be living with the regret of your decision.
As you move through your week, I pray you will have the wisdom to know when it is time to act and when it is time to be still.
Tom
A Norvell Note © Copyright 2017. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.