Be Still and Know
Be Still and Know
So… I haven’t written in a couple weeks. Why? Busyness. Too much busyness. As I sat down to write and began to pray over what God would have me say to you – He had a word for me. That is how my blog goes, surely you have figured that out by now. I feel certain I have been labeled a “Special Project” by the Trinity. ;-)
My margin has been far too small as of late. How about yours? Margin is the blank space, the time we leave unfilled. Time to rest and hang out with the Lord. It is quiet time so that we can hear from Him. Years ago, my pastor preached on margin and I was convicted. I was a workaholic and filled every minute with something. Don’t get me wrong – I was a happy workaholic and felt very accomplished. The problem was all my busyness created so much noise in my life that I could not hear God. Other believers would talk about knowing God’s direction and hearing from Him and I wanted that. I began to carve out more blank space and make more time in God’s word Top Priority. It radically changed me and began to undo me. I know I need to slow down and be still, but today God showed me more and I want to share it with you.
You see, I believe we are in an epidemic of busyness. It is all people talk about. Even people who really aren’t very busy declare they are so busy. Everyone is saying it, buying into it. I believe it has become Satan’s favorite weapon in his arsenal. Busyness isolates us. It keeps us focused on us and prevents us from considering others. We are busy as we can be and yet still feel as if we are not good enough, not accomplished enough, not loved enough. It is the perfect environment for Satan to slither in and whisper his lies. Our biggest mistake is… buying into the lie that spending time with God is a luxury – only for those not so busy – instead of a necessity for our life.
We have memorized the scripture, Be still and know that I am God. But… are we ever really still and do we really know that He is our God? Really? Well, then what is this rat race all about? Why are we fearful? Why are we discontent? Today I read all of Psalm 46. We have taken verse 10 out of context. It is not a suggestion to slow down or to sit quietly. It is a psalm of trust. It is rejoicing in the deliverance that God offers to us in the midst of a fearsome battle. Friends, I believe we are in a fearsome battle. There is a war raging and we are the territory that is under siege. God wants us, Satan wants us. Who has us? Today, since we are talking about time, let’s ask ourselves, Have we allowed Satan to gain some ground when it comes to our time? Have we become too busy to grow to know God more, to become more intimate with Jesus and to hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit? Lord help us!
Psalm 46 says, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear. Even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though it’s waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.
Verse 10-11: Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
The phrase be still means to stop the frantic activity, stop battling in your own strength and look to God for help. Trust Him and rejoice. He is our refuge, our hiding place, our personal retreat. To know means to ascertain by seeing, to acknowledge, and to be aware. It is placing our trust in the omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (present everywhere), omnipotent (all-powerful), holy, sovereign, faithful, infinite, and good God. Knowing that He is God means trusting Him and surrendering to Him and His plan for me.
He is in our midst. He is with us. He loves us. We can trust Him!
Say No to being too busy and say Yes to more time with God.
Hi Friends!
Thank you for reading this blog and supporting Master What Matters. We want to help women stop worrying about all the things that do not matter and instead focus on what matters most - our relationship with Jesus. We need each other. Let’s encourage one another as we learn to take steps closer to our Savior! Let’s study God’s word and spend time in prayer, growing our relationship with Jesus, little by little, until we see Him face to face.
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