Be Still

Today I found myself rereading through parts of my journal, and I came across an entry that spoke to me for where I'm at today.  God seems to be repeating the message of "rest" once more, but I'm realizing that it means something different than what I initially thought.  I began wondering what Godly Rest was in the late summer and tried my best to apply it, but God is continually helping us to learn and grow, and I find myself in that pattern once again.  So here's another flashback from my journal, maybe God is speaking the same message to you:

"Be still and know that I am God."

This is what I heard on my drive to work today.  I had been trying to pray as I usually do but I kept getting nowhere.  Finally I just asked God what was going on, wondering what He wanted me to do.  I felt like I needed to empty my mind of thought and open my ears to God.  The moments ticked by and the suspense grew but nothing happened.  Finally I angrily yelled, "God, what do you want me to do?"  And that's when I heard it.  "Be still and know that I am God."  I let it roll over and over in my head and suddenly God felt so big and so close, I could feel Him everywhere.  But I still couldn't make sense of why He was telling me that.

After I parked my car at work and finally prayed in earnest, I looked on my iDisciple App and my thumb clicked on an article titled "A Balanced Diet", a short article about how to feed the mental, emotional, and spiritual life.  In the prayer section it asked the question, "What do You want me to do to keep my heart attuned to Jesus?  Do I need to spend more time in scripture, seeking you in prayer, or being still in Your presence?"  I gasped as the pieces began to fall into place and I understood what God was trying to tell me!  This is how He wants me to keep my heart attuned to Him, by being still and resting in His presence.  Be still, rest in Him and know that He is God.  I don't need to strive or stress, I need only be still and remember who's in charge.  What a relief this is!  How great you are, O God!

"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