Be Still

Be still and know I’m God. Anyone ever read that before? Better yet has anyone ever told you that before? I always tend to think what that person is really trying to say is, “Clearly you aren’t seeing what I am seeing and it is about to be a wreck, maybe you should slow down a little and revaluate things for a bit…and a healthy dose of Jesus would probably do you some good..” Or maybe out of my judgment and concern that is what I mean when I say that…who knows and I’m not fessing up.

This passage has been running a race through my mind lately and to tell you the truth, it has stressed me out a little. Be still, be still, well...that is not an easy task for me. You may as well tell me to be patient or to be content or worse, to be silent. I know that really all goes with the be still part but still, it’s hard.

I want to know what I’m doing, where I’m supposed to be and how I can serve. The opportunities are endless, but yet “Be Still” is all I hear. I tend to rush things or agree to things because they excite me. I am really having to learn how to obey and listen and to be led by faith. Not so easy for this chloric sanguine girl.

I feel like this year has started out with a bang, so many things to be thankful for and feel good about. Then yesterday I was watching the six o-clock morning news and they had mentioned that today was the day that most people give up on their resolutions. I thought to myself well that was short lived. Then I glanced at my bible sitting beside me on the table and thought to myself, didn’t I make a resolution to not turn on the TV until I had my alone time with God? Looks like I fell off the wagon before most of America did. Nice.

 Psalm 90:14 says,

¹⁴ Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

I have always thought that Moses probably wrote this first thing in the morning when he was all alone, just he and God. Took me right back to the importance of following through with our resolutions and commitments.

Since we are going there I guess I will confess that I had planned a fun day with my mom today, knowing that Thursday’s were the day I committed to God to stay home and spend time with Him. I had felt some guilt over it but not enough to cancel my plans. I just didn’t “feel” like staying at home and writing today. I woke up in the middle of the night with a terrible sore throat and ear infection, not to mention every muscle in my body shredded from a workout yesterday (another resolution). I guess He is taking this commitment more serious than I was. I literally sat in my chair in tears over how awful I felt. I asked Him to forgive me for not holding up to my end of the deal and promised to get up if He would make me better. I’m not sure if there was some magic in the Tylenol and hot tea or if He just poured out a little grace on me, but here I am. I actually ended up writing a few days for a study that I am working on thinking the whole time it was for the blog. I wanted to cry again when I realized it was separate.  

My point with all of this is this; God truly wants your time and your commitment. He has so many things to show you and guide you to. If we want to experience a real life relationship, it is like any other. It takes time and commitment and heart open to receive it.

I had written something earlier (in something else). I said, "to allow God to bring you true fulfillment it takes you to be willing to completely pour out the clutter." It doesn’t take much of the wrong ingredient to spoil the whole thing. You can't have both. Pour yourself out to Him and allow Him the space to fill you up. Take pride in your commitments and enjoy the seasons when He wants you to Be Still. It’s always calm before the storm, right? At least now I have the security in the One who is steering my vessel.

Psalm 144:1-2

Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliver, my shield, in whom I take refuge…

That never gets old.