Be still and know.

I’ve just returned from a busy travel season. Not only did I travel around the globe doing ministry, but I also flew to Texas to be with my husband as he retired from military service! We cleaned and packed up his old life in one part of the country and drove 22 hours straight with two dogs in a car to our new life as a family in Michigan. (the dogs did great, by the way, and required far fewer potty breaks than we did!) 

After such a strenuous time emotionally and physically and so much time away, I’m now eager to be back to the business of writing, creating, performing and ministering. I am so aware that time is short and there are many things I want to do for God! But as much as I burn inside to be fruitful for the Lord, there seems to be no strength or provision to continue at the moment. I keep praying and reminding God of all that needs to be done, but He keeps answering my prayers with only a stern, parental silence.  My work, it seems, is again to rest in the Lord right now and just seek His face and enjoy His presence. I confess this is not easy for me!  

For many of us, going and doing are much easier than resting and being. Our society tells us we must do more, work harder, and run faster to survive, but God’s kingdom is different. The Lord says in His word that fruitfulness comes as we stop working to make things happen and learn to simply be still and believe.   

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) 

God is saying, “Don’t be afraid! Stop trying to make things happen and trust that I AM making things happen!” It’s easy to be still and believe when there is nothing pressing to do and no worries in life. But when bills are piling up, when we face struggles at home and at work, or when life is simply overwhelming, being still is not an easy task. 

Being still involves trusting that the Lord is God and He is in control, not us. To be still, we must believe God has a plan and that no matter what we face today, HE is greater than  every storm and every battle.  Well, I don’t know what storm or battle you might be facing today, but, right now I invite you to close your eyes for a moment, be still, and just receive the word of the Lord for your life: 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; 

He leads me beside the still waters. 

He restores my soul; 

He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 

I will fear no evil; for You are with me; 

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; 

You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23)

In this famous psalm, David reminds us who the Lord is: He is our shepherd, and He is our provider. He leads us, He restores us, He comforts us, and He protects us. He gives us victory over our enemies. He anoints us with His presence and fills us with His love. Because God’s blessing in on our lives, goodness and mercy will follow us all our days. The Lord will never leave us or forsake us. 

Notice how much God does in this beautiful psalm and how little we have to do. Faith is the act of receiving what God has already provided. Faith rests in green pastures and drinks from still waters…unafraid.  

Faith lets God do the miracles and simply believes.   

As we learn to let God be God in our hearts, I know that He will do miracles in us and through us! The saltiness of His presence in us will make others thirsty. The radiance of His joy in us will make others long for what we have…which is simply Jesus.  

This week let’s start with no expectations and no agenda. May our only goal be to be still wherever we are and know that He is God! 

Father forgive us for not trusting You completely. Give us the faith to believe that You are truly Lord over all. Help us learn to be still and worship You no matter what is going on around us believing that You will be exalted!  in Jesus’ name, amen.

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