One of my favorite scriptures is Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.”
I love this scripture because it literally shakes us out of our hurriedness, our racing thoughts and busyness and commands us to “Cease striving and know that I am God!”
As we go throughout our daily routines we may not consider what we do as striving, but I ask that we take another look. To strive means to “devote serious effort or energy.” Ask yourself, “What am I currently devoting serious effort or energy to?”
On the surface, devoting serious effort or energy to something is needed to get to where we need to be. A caterpillar devotes serious effort or energy to becoming a butterfly! It struggles in the restrictions of a cocoon until it is forced to stay still under the constraints of the cocoon so that greater internal development can take place before it turns into a beautiful butterfly.
In our personal lives we devote serious effort or energy to one thing or another. Sometimes we overcome; other times we have to succumb to the conclusion that what we were attempting is not meant to be at this time.
In life there is a saying, “Try and try again,” and it emphasizes the notion of continuing to give of ourselves until we finally get it. But if we’re honest, we have tried and tried again and had to come to painful realization that we have limitations, and what we are putting effort in is something that we need to move on from.
It is here, amid these personal and often difficult realizations, we are beckoned to “Be still.” Or in other words, “Stop struggling.” “Don’t make any more attempts.” “Cease trying right now.” Yet, we are not left with the uneasiness of being still because whether we want to recognize it or not, being still is challenging. At the height of devoting serious effort or energy to being still, we hear in balance,
And know.
To know not only means to perceive directly and have understanding of; it means to discern; to experience; to live through. It is in our living through something that we become more acquainted with and more in touch with what’s happening around us. It is in the experiencing of something that we become more empathetic and compassionate to our neighbor because we now know for ourselves what the other side of their struggle look like because we made it through.
And know.
All of these things are good, but there is something that we need to know that is greater than all that’s been stated above. What are we to know in the call to be still?
That He is God. In the stillness, we are to know the One who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). We are to know the One who is able to turn darkness into light just by speaking the word.
He is the Creator of all things.
All powerful, all knowing, ever-present.
He is a refuge in the time of trouble.
Peace in the midst of a storm.
The One who never slumbers or sleep.
Our source and our strength.
We can cease striving because with God in control, there is no need. We have all that we need in Him. So as we move forth in the midst of uncertainty, we can be certain of the fact that God will remain the same. He never changes.
If He never changes, then that means we can count on Him. Depend on Him. Trust in Him.
He knows what we are in need of, and He will provide.
Nothing can pluck you and I from His hand, so we have a blessed assurance that we can rest in His care.