Be Still

I don’t know about you, but it seems like I’m finding myself going in several directions at once lately. What about you? Are you pulled in several directions at once? Are you up against some deadlines at work? Do you need, or want, to be in several places at once? If so, I hope a few words here might bring inner peace back to your soul.

Psalm 46 is a great passage to read and reread from time to time. Verses one and two proclaim “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.” Verse six continues, “Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall.” Although these words were written long ago, they could certainly apply today as well.

Then comforting comes in verses 7-11, “The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see the works of the Lord.” One of my favorite verses follows in verse 10, “Be still, and know that I am God.” I stand in awe of all He has done, is doing, and will do. He wants us to stop, reflect, and focus on all His mighty works. He is the great creator and protector. He cares for all of us and wants us to spend time and worship Him.

To really worship Him, we must remove the external distractions around us and silence the internal distractions within us. These distractions prevent us from focusing on God. Our minds wander, noises abound, and various images catch our attention, making it difficult to just concentrate on the Lord and have a still, focused time with Him.

I pray that you will find time this coming week to pull away from the rat race of life and find time each day to just be still and focus on the Lord. What a soothing inner balm that will be to help you face the challenges of the day.

Written by WMU of Texas President Earl Ann Bumpus