Be Still...

One of my most favorite verses in the Bible comes from Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God..."  To me, this verse is telling me that if I am still, I will be able to sit and take in all that is God.  These days we live in a busy world.  A world full of noise and ten thousands things pulling for our attention.  Particularly in these days of this new normal with our families in our homes all day, we are pulled fifty thousand different directions but just think for a moment if you could just be still.  What would that look like to just be still.  Take that one step further, what would that look like to be still with God.

What if we became a world full of households that took time to be still?  Full of households that didn't allow the busyness to rob our joy but instead found joy in the quiet moments.  I know, I know, your people are all home right now but how much more peaceful would you feel if you could find those quiet moments?  How much more joy would you see in your day if you had a moment to just be still?

I challenge you today to be intentional with your moments.  Our days can get derailed so quickly, especially in these ever changing times.  I challenge you to prioritize your day and include moments of just being still and being with our Father in heaven.  Anne Graham Lotz once said, "I need the spiritual revival that comes from spending quiet time alone with Jesus in prayer and in thoughtful meditation on His Word".  How would making this time change your entire outlook on your day, on your situation, on our world's circumstances?

God had designed us to need him.  Every moment of our day, we should be needing Him.  There isn't a moment in our day where God isn't there.  There isn't a situation or circumstance in our lives that God isn't already aware of.  But we need to open our minds to the idea of just being still.  We need to quiet the world around us so that in those quiet moments of being still, we can feel and hear God. 

God is not limited by what our minds can fathom.  Time and space are not limited by God.  He is with those in the hospitals right now AND in your home with you.  He desires a relationship with you.  We need not fear for God is in all things and already in the future waiting for us.  He desires for us to live abundant lives and He desires a personal relationship with each of us. 

I love that God is so intimate with each of us.  He knows everything about each of us and when we cry out, He already knows what we need.  He already knows our hearts.  Just imagine if we could sit at His feet for even just a few moments and just be still with Him.  Imagine how you would feel after having those quiet moments.

I can remember many years ago, I was worried and spiraling off the rails about something and my Dad emailed me a verse.  Matthew 6:34, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own".  God doesn't expect us to jump past today and worry about the tomorrows, He wants us to sit and be still with Him so he can fill us with His peace as we go into the tomorrows.  He won't force us to sit and be still, we have to allow ourselves to slow down and do it.  And the beauty of sitting still and knowing God is there is comfort after the stillness.  There is peace overflowing.  There is contentment.  There is joy. 

"Life is not intended to be simply a round of work, no matter how interesting and important that work may be.  A moment's pause to watch the glory of a sunrise or a sunset is soul satisfying, while a bird's song will set the steps to music all day long." (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

Find moments in your day to just be still.  Be intentional in your day to set aside moments to just sit with God.  It's in these moments that we are refreshed and fueled up with the Spirit.  And with our world in the situation we are experiencing, we need to feel refreshed and energized to handle the tasks laid out in front of us.

Jesus said, "You're tied down to the mundane; I'm in touch with what is beyond your horizons.  You live in terms of what you see and touch.  I'm living on other terms.  I told you that you were missing God in all this.  You're at a dead end.  If you won't believe I am who I say I am, you're at the dead end of sins.  You're missing God in your lives."  John 8:23-24 MSG

Be still and know that I am God.  Be still if only for a mere few moments in the quiet of the morning before everyone wakes up.  Be still if only for a moment.  I promise you, those moments will begin to add up and before you know it, you will be prioritizing your day around moments to be still rather than moments of busyness. 

Lord, we praise You for the blessing that You are.  I pray that we would look for moments to be still and just sit with you throughout our day.  I pray that we would not allow the busyness to keep us from drinking in the peace and joy only You can provide to us in our days.  When we are anxious Lord, I ask that You would stir an urgency to just be still with You.  Amen.