Be Still

Psalm 46:10

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”

It is hard for me to be still.  I am not good at it.  I function much better at a steady pace it seems.  

A steady, but not too hectic pace is good for me.  But, life does not conform to what I might like for a pace.  It spins freely at its own speed throwing things at me and some weeks/months/years it seems like it has been just one thing after another after another.  Have you ever felt like that?

There is a carnival ride that reminds me what life often feels like when I see it.  It looks so nice from afar with horses and seats and music and lights, but when you get on it, it’s another story! Have you guessed it?  It’s a Merry-Go-Round.  That is kind of what life reminds me of when it is spinning out of my control and doesn’t seem to want to slow down.  Picture it with me:  The music is blaring, the lights are flashing, people are hollering, cameras are snapping, children are crying, parents are waving, the horse is going up and down, up and down, the colors are blurring and the entire thing just keeps spinning in circles! (Can you tell I am not a fan?)  I usually got nauseated just watching it spin!

When life hands me too much, that is what I feel like!  Everything feels loud and noisy and bright and annoying and everything is in motion and I can’t control it and I JUST WANT OFF THE RIDE!  It is just too much all at the same time.  Through the years I have discovered that seems to be how life operates.  It sometimes seems that there is either very little going on or way too much going on….whatever happened to the middle ground??? 

There are many days when I struggle with the “Be Still” part of that verse.  I have no doubt that He is God and that He will be honored throughout the world, but how do I be still in such a chaotic world?   I am thankful for the assurance that it gives me when it says: “…know that I am God”.  Through the years He has been so faithful to me when I wasn’t too faithful to Him.  I know without a doubt that He is God.  He is in control.  He will be honored by every nation.  He will be honored throughout the world.    

There are several things that I have learned over the years that help me to “be still.”  They are ways that I have found that help me jump off this spinning ride we call life.   I know everyone is different and what works for me might not work for you, but I think the key is to figure out what does work for you and when those times come, you have a plan set in place to help you.  There were many years, especially during the difficult days, when being still would just send my mind into overdrive and then I felt that life was spinning even further out of control.  The more quiet time I had, the more I focused on everything that was wrong with my life.  Eventually, that  just kept pushing me down into my pit and I then not only had my life situations to deal with, but a whole bunch of self-pity piled on top of it!  It has been a process for me to learn how to “be still” and I am much improved with it, but I have not “arrived” and I’m still working on it.  

So if you don’t have a plan in place to be able to “be still”, think about that and the things you could do that point you to Jesus during those difficult times.

If you are following my writing at all, you already are well aware about how much I enjoy music.  Music is one of the top ways that I can step off the spinning merry-go-round of  life for a few moments.  There are so many songs that speak directly to my heart.  Most songs have a story or come from someone’s life journey of growing through pain and suffering.  Often it will just be one line in a song or a chorus that makes my heart be still and know that God is in control.  I will say that although I enjoy a lot of the new Christian music I still enjoy the great old hymns of the faith.  So many come to mind like:  “How Great Thou Art”,” I Believe in a Hill Called Mount Calvary”, “Amazing Grace”, etc...  Next time life is spinning too fast for you, maybe you can get a song in your head and sing it until the stillness comes.  

One of my other ways to try and “be still” is to play the piano.  I cannot describe to you how it feels to just sit at that piano and play songs and worship the King of Kings through playing.  I am no great pianist by any means, but I am thankful for the ability I do have to play.  It has been a lifeline for me through the years to just sit and play.  If you don’t play an instrument, what is it you like to do?  Can you spend time with God while you scrapbook, work in your garden, write poetry, clean your garage, exercise or work on your car?  I think you get my point.  It is important to find something that you enjoy doing that you can share with the Master.  He loves spending time with us.

I recently heard a song by Mercy Me called “Hold Fast”.  I’ve heard it before, but  today I decided to go for a walk and put my headphones on and these words are what played: 

“To everyone who's hurting, to those who've had enough, to all the undeserving: That should cover all of us.  Please do not let go -I promise there is hope.

Hold fast! Help is on the way.  Hold fast!  He's come to save the day. What I've learned in my life, one thing greater than my strife is His grasp. So hold fast!

Will this season ever pass?  Can we stop this ride?  Will we see the sun at last?  Or could this be our lot in life?  Please do not let go.  I promise you there's hope.

You may think you're all alone and there's no way that anyone could know what you're going through.  But if you only hear one thing, just understand that we are all the same.

Searching for the truth, the truth of what we're soon to face - unless someone comes to take our place.  Is there anyone?  All we want is to be free.  Free from our captivity, Lord. Here He comes.

Hold fast! Help is on the way.  Hold fast!  He's come to save the day. What I've learned in my life, one thing greater than my strife is His grasp. So hold fast!”

I do not understand a lot of things in this life.  But, I do know that He is God and He is in control and even when life is spinning too fast for me – He is teaching/showing me how to “be still.”  Hold on….help is on the way!  Hold fast….He will come and save the day!

So, until I write again I encourage you to:  Be Strong, Stand Firm and Believe in Miracles!  

Our God is a God of Miracles!   

Count Your Blessings…