Be Still and Know
The day begins early when the sun is just peaking over the horizon and you hear it…that noise that can bring so much joy and so much terror at the same time…the kids are up! You savour the last few moments before the tribe come scrambling onto your bed and jump relentlessly on your bladder until you finally give in and get up. The mornings are always crazy, no time to stop, there are mouths to feed, lunches to make, hair to be done, fights to break up, bags to pack, and that’s all before 8am!
You rush out of the house, drive to school or day-care and pile the kids out of the car. Still no time to stop because you’re already running late for work, again. Even though you’re running late you stop to grab something that might just save your sanity…coffee! You finally get to your desk and there’s a pile of work that needs to be completed by yesterday. For the third time this week you eat your lunch at your desk just willing yourself to get everything done before you leave to pick up the kids again.
Taxi Mum is in full force after school pick up, Jonny needs to go to soccer, Sally has gymnastics and yet again you need to rush home and put the washing on because Hubby has already worn all his clothes inside out and back-to-front.
The night seems more frenzied than all the events of the day put together. You’re preparing dinner, helping the kids with their homework, cleaning that drink that just got spilt, hanging up the washing that’s now finished, all while trying to hold a conversation with your husband who has also had a crazy day!
SO HOW CAN WE FIND STILLNESS AMID THE CRAZY?
“He says, “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 (emphasis mine)
Maybe you read that verse and you think the same thing that I do “Where on earth am I going to find time to be still?”
I love the NASB version that says, “Cease striving and know that I am God”.
{The sense of craziness in our lives stems from our striving}
Do you find yourself striving to get through each day, striving in your own strength and efforts to make sure the kids are growing up well, that your marriage is staying on path or that your career is going in the right direction?
{Our striving ceases when we know that God is God}
Psalm 46 was written just after the Israelites had miraculously crossed the Red Sea and found safety from their enemies. The Psalm was sung as a celebration of God’s protection, deliverance and victory. There was no amount of self-striving that could have saved them, only God. There are valuable lessons to be learned from this Psalm if we want to find stillness in our craziness!
1. KNOW GOD IN YOUR PAST
“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” Ps 46:1 (NLT)
The Israelites reminded themselves of God’s victories in their past. They were careful not to forget what God had already done, He had saved them from their enemies and propelled them into freedom.
We can find it so easy to go over our past failures and mistakes, but what if we rehearsed all the times that God has been our refuge and strength?
Start recording and rehearsing when God gave you peace amidst chaos, or when He sheltered you from a storm of criticism, or when He healed you from that disease, or when He gave you favour in your workplace.
{Know the God of your past and find stillness for your soul}
2. KNOW GOD IN YOUR PRESENT
“God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at the break of day” Ps 46:5 (NIV)
God promises to protect and preserve His church and His people. We are the church.
God’s presence in your present, and He will not let you fall. It is safe to stop striving when you know that God is present, that He is holding you up so that you don’t fall.
When you feel overwhelmed with the noise and busyness of life, when everything seems to be going at light speed, you can know without any doubt that God will be there to help! From the moment you open your eyes and hear the screams of the children or the alarm that makes you want to pull the sheets up over your head – GOD IS THERE TO HELP.
{Know that God is present in your present and cease striving}
3. KNOW GOD IN YOUR FUTURE
“The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” Ps 46:11 (NIV)
The Israelites would sing Psalm 46 every year on the anniversary of the Red Sea crossing. This not only would have reminded them of God’s protection in the past, or His presence in their present, but it would have given them faith and assurance that God was also in their future.
When we know that God, the Lord Almighty, our fortress, is in our future, then stillness and calm washes over our souls.
When we are tempted to get worked up about all the ‘what ifs’ of the future, we need to remind ourselves that God has already gone ahead. He knows your tomorrow, your next week, your next year “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” Ps 139:16.
{Know the God of your past and present and find assurance for your future}
If there is a sense of craziness in your life, if you are lacking inward stillness in your soul, God wants to change that today!
Rehearse what God has already done for you, remind your soul that His presence is with you in your present and that He holds your future safe and secure.
Knowing the faithfulness, love, commitment, protection and provision of God in your past, present and future will bring stillness to your daily chaos!
{BE STILL AND KNOW}
Elise Heerde is a wife, mother, teacher and writer from Melbourne who loves Jesus and passionately shares about the grace, hope and love that He offers to all. She deeply desires to see the broken made whole, the captives set free and the lost brought home.
She found freedom from long-term depression and anxiety in Jesus and now dedicates her life to empowering and inspiring others to live in the freedom that comes from having a personal relationship with Jesus. You can find her instagram account here @her.anchor
Elise has a Diploma in Ministry and is currently studying her Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies.
