The Importance of “Being Still” Before God - The Crosswalk Devotional - June 8
The Importance of “Being Still” Before God
By Sarah Frazer
Bible Reading:
“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 (NKJV)
Be still! Stop moving! The wiggling toddler had difficulty keeping her body from sliding out of the pew onto the floor. The pastor’s voice echoed from the pulpit, but it was hard to concentrate because of the ball of energy next to me. Five kids and several years later, I remember having my children in church before they could sit still.
It took time, patience, consistency, and maybe a few hundred packs of fruit snacks, but eventually they learned to be still in church. Now, I look down the pew and see all of my sweet children all but grown, sitting quietly, a few even taking notes.
In front of me is a mom of a toddler and as she whispers into his ear and offers a sucker and some coloring pages, I’m reminded that being still is hard for a toddler. But then, it is hard for us as adults to sometimes be still as well.
In Psalm 46, we read about some startling and unnerving circumstances surrounding the author. Phrases like “waters roar…mountains shake…nations rage…” certainly relate to our current times. I don’t know about you, but when things are chaotic, I don’t want to just stand there—I want to do something.
Every time my children would fight, I would jump in to intervene. If I saw a need at church, I was the first to put my name on the list to help. If someone were in a crisis, I would lie awake trying to think of ways to serve them.
Psalm 46 reminds me that it isn’t my job to fix everything, but it is also important that I don’t forget who is ultimately in charge. There are times we should step in and help or rush to fix a crisis. God has called us to be Jesus's “hands and feet,” love one another, and bear each other’s burdens.
Being still before God is more than just not acting; it is recognizing and resting in who God is. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know…” Knowing is remembering and learning. What do you know about God? What do you remember God doing in the past? In the first part of the psalm, we see the author remembering and calling out the truth about God. God is our refuge, strength, and help. God has never stopped being on the throne, even if our world feels out of control and unsettling.
Practically speaking, what does this look like to “be still” before God? I think it means we spend time in prayer and reading His Word. Learning and studying about God helps us to know and trust Him. The more we know about God, the easier it is to trust Him. The more we pray and read God’s Word, the more our hearts learn to be still before God.
In this chapter, the psalmist has one phrase that highlights a beautiful truth about God. He repeats this phrase, so we know it is a key to the theme of the chapter. The phrase is found in verse seven and verse ten. “The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah”
The last word, “Selah,” means to pause and reflect, again a reminder that this verse is so important! How can the author of Psalm 46 “be still” before God? He recognizes that God is both personal and powerful.
Look at the words in Psalm 46:7 and 10. God is described as a “Lord of Hosts” and “the God of Jacob.” The first description reveals a powerful God who can control and dispatch an army of angels. The second is a personal God of a man who really lived—Jacob!
God is both a refuge and with us. The first action shows God’s strength, while the other declares God’s intimacy with us. As we ponder how God is in control and very personal, our hearts can know true rest.
We will find so much comfort and peace as we meditate on and read God’s word in prayer. This is how we rest our hearts and minds on God. This is the importance of being still before God. When we stop striving, working, and worrying, we can have peace. We can go to bed knowing God has the ultimate power to keep us safe and deeply loves and cares for us.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
What keeps you awake at night? What do you have that lies heavy on your heart? How can you pray to God and read His word to have peace today?
Further Reading:
Psalm 46
Romans 8
Hebrews 12:1-2
Photo Credit:©Getty Images/EmilyNorton
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