Be Still!

These are two words you will hear quite often from a parent with an active, energetic child. Regardless of how often these words are said, there will still be countless more times it will have to be said again--to the same child!

How many times has our Heavenly Father told us to, "Be Still!" yet we continue to wriggle, writhe and wrestle our way through life as if we were not children of the King and had no divine help available to us? How quickly we forget that we have a God who never sleeps nor slumbers, who cares for us and watches over us, and who will never leave us or forsake us. Even when we have no one around who seems to care for us, God's Word tells us that even if our mother and father forsake us, the Lord will take us up.

"Be Still!" is a polite way of saying "Stop!"or "Cut it out!" When a parent tells a child to be still, it's because at that moment, the child is being everything but still. Sometimes, when we are simply too busy for our own good, God will let us know that it is time to Stop. When we are too busy, we are subject to stress and burnout, which leave us vulnerable to sin. When we are too busy, we forget who is really in charge, leaving another portal for sin to enter. When we are too busy, we stray further and further away from the center--we veer too much too the right or too much to the left.

God tells us in Psalm 46:10 to "Be Still and know that I am God." The conjunction "and" lets us know that stillness leads to knowing. Stillness leads to deep listening, which leads to clearer discernment, which leads to a peace that passes understanding, which leads to a blessed assurance, which enables us to stay on the path and see what the end will be.

When we learn to "Selah" (pause and reflect) we learn to cease from worry, anger, lust, frustration, envy and the need to feel we have to know it all and show it all--and all at once.

The next time you hear a parent or teacher tell a child to "Be Still!", or the next time you find yourself wanting to tell someone to "Be Still!" or "Go somewhere and sit down!" take it as a loving reminder from God for YOU to rest in Him.

When we take time to "Be Still" and reflect, it allows us time to see that, despite our trials and tribulations, God will "Still Be" all that we need and all that matters.

BNcouraged!

Rev. Karen