“Be still, and know that I am God;” -Psalm 46:10a (NIV)
We live in a fast-paced world. In an era where everything seems to be instant and convenient, we have become accustomed to our requests being granted immediately. However, in exchange we have lost the ability to be still and patient. Our lives have become so hectic that what concerns us is what is in front of us now and nothing else. We say that we do not have the time to think about God or the world around us; that we should spend our energies watching our own back because that is our immediate concern. Maybe when things calm down then we’ll start remembering God and the finer things of life. But that moment never comes and we only end up reinforcing unhealthy attitudes of self-reliance that serves to distance ourselves from God and contribute to our own ruin.
But it is in those hectic and busy moments that we need to hold onto God the most. Our frail human bodies cannot handle the pressure that we place ourselves under. God can help us, but because He has given us free will to act, we must make the conscious choice of being still before Him, knowing that He has the world in His hands. Being still before Him means meditating on Him and His Word, away from the distractions of life, communing with Him, and asking Him for the strength and guidance to carry on. We must acknowledge His authority over our lives if we are to free ourselves from the stresses that we create. When we have taken the time to be still before the One who controls the universe, we see our lives and our situations in a different light. Our priorities are arranged in a manner that would truly benefit us and we will have the wisdom and foresight to avoid the pitfalls that we would have otherwise fallen into in our impatience or in our own human understanding. Being still before Him is the key to living a full and satisfying life. May we all make sure to be still before Him and allow Him to direct our paths.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
