The Second Secret of Stillness

“He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God.'” Psalm 46:10 

Last week, I rated myself a B minus for stillness. And I drew our attention to the first part of God’s secret to stillness: Stop.

I mentioned instead of stopping, we often keep going, but find a distraction. And it’s true! Often a distraction from the news, work, finances, tough relationships, the church, the environment is what can actually take our mind off our troubles. But it’s often an escape like Netflix, sleep, junk food, or exercise that we turn to for just a time before we trudge back in and pick it all up again.

In the verse for today, God’s secret to stillness is to first stop. And then to know. Stop and then put your mind and confidence and full weight on this: He is God. 

Now, in fairness, sometimes God will just interrupt our frenzy with something pretty crazy that gets our attention up and on Him, which leads to the stop. But I’d rather do the reverse. I’ll stop myself, then by all means, God, go ahead and draw my attention to You. 

So we stop and then know. Stop, then put your mind and confidence and full weight on: He is God. Know it, (yes, in your mind), and in the stopping and mental realization, the experience of God will come. Trust me.

• The kids are wild like roaring waters: You are God over wild water and wacky kids.

• The health of my mother is scaring me to death: You are God over healing, fear, and death.

• The leadership of our country is out of control: You are God over every nation and fully in control.

• COVID-19 and cancer and a host of other ills have interrupted everything: You are God over pestilence, predator, principalities, and powers.

“Though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea!” God says, “Stop and know!”

You may find this difficult. How can I be still, when the God who’s in charge lets things happen that, were I in charge, I’d never allow? I don’t need to be still. He needs to get busy!

Stop being so arrogant and know this: God has done something. God is doing something. And God will, one day, do something. No amount of frenzied activity to distract, sooth, or prove anything will change what God says will be. 

“Be still, and know that [He] is God.”

I’m real because God is so real.
~Nancy