Be Still And.....

“God says, “Be still and know that I am God. I will be supreme over all the nations; I will be supreme in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

Ever have one of those days (or weeks) when you just mess up? When relationships are difficult? When you get misunderstood? When you wonder if you are making a difference? When you wonder if this is how life will always be? When your good intentions don’t turn out good? When…? We all have these moment, days or weeks. It is a part of life. Our worry and anxiety get the best of us even when we are trying to stay close to Jesus. I had a period of time like this and the song “Be Still, My Soul” began to play in my heart -

“Be still my soul; the Lord is on your side.

Bear patiently the cross of grief and pain;

Leave to your God to order and provide:

In every change God faithful will remain.”

It is difficult to slow ourselves down emotionally and mentally. While the outside world may have slowed down for a period of time, the turmoil inside of us may have become more intense and uncertain. The people you counted on being there for you have not been present or provided the needed support. Your plan and dream for the future has been destroyed and you wonder what is the purpose of my life now? In these moments of turmoil, grief, loneliness or sadness, we need to be still. To be still and change our focus. To be still and allow ourselves to feel the emotions and accept that it is Ok to feel this way for a moment. To be still and know God is beside us and is on our side. To be still and give it all to God.

I found myself talking with God. For me, it was a time of discernment and realization that it was alright to change directions and close one chapter of life. In the stillness of my soul, I began to search for God’s will for my life. I began to see a possibility for something new and different. I have always believed different is not bad, it is simply different. In each change and decision in my life I have tried to listen and discern God’s direction. I have found that reading God’s Word helps to quiet my soul , and I begin to listen to God speak directly through familiar words. It is in these times that these familiar words take on new understanding. God’s Word is a living Word that speaks in different ways throughout our lives.

It is in the quietness of a sunset or in the stillness of the morning that God speaks too. When I am still long enough to listen, God speaks. I run each morning not just for exercise but for quiet time with God. A few days ago, God and I sorted out some next steps for my life. God opened a new door in my thoughts and gave me a new freedom that I had not even considered. It was only when I was quiet and began to listen that God revealed these next steps.

When I am still before God, I am honest with myself because God already knows my heart. It is in this time I admit my grief, my pain, my sadness, my joys, my dreams, my blessings and everything in between. In our grief, we need this honest time to allow ourselves to feel all the emotions of the loss and begin to admit to ourselves the depth of love and loss. It is also the time when we cling closely to God knowing it is only through God’s strength that we have made it this far.

I have come to accept that the “cross of grief” was part of my journey. It has been in my grief that my quiet moments with God have become moments of dependency and growth. I have allowed myself to just “be” - to be still, to be present, to be in the moment, to be. God wants us to be present more than He wants us to be doing tasks and being busy with the things of this world. I am finding quiet moments with God each day bring healing to my heart and soul and refreshes me. Just be still and know that God is with you. You do not need to speak words, just sigh and speak God’s name and then listen. Be still and…..