Learning to Be Still

Learning to Be Still

            With my husband in a wheelchair and a recent move to a new home, the last thing I need is a severely sprained ankle. Unable to bear any weight whatsoever on my right foot, I’ve had to resort to using crutches. And resting – a lot.

            This morning, as I lay in bed reflecting on my current situation, I asked the Lord to open my eyes as to His reason for this new struggle. Or should I say, additional struggle? In that moment, one of my favorite passages came to mind. Nestled between verses that speak of God’s power – He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth, He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields with fire – and His divinity – I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth – lies the answer when life gets messy; “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

            Be still – like a nursing child who is sated and basks in his mother’s loving embrace. I’ve been so busy “doing that I’ve neglected simply “being.” Being content in my Father’s love. Being silent before the Almighty God. Being still in His embrace. Listening to His voice, heeding His words, waiting for His perfect timing.

            It’s hard to be still. Especially when each day sucks me into the daily hamster wheel called ‘life.’ I often find that busyness spills into my prayer life. I step into God’s presence with a list of prayer requests that looks more like a to-do list; Lord, please do this for me. Lord, please do that for so and so. It’s so easy to forget that God yearns for me to come before Him, hands empty, soul bared, to worship Him and bask in His love. To simply ‘be’ rather than ask or do. Because I am His child and I need to be filled with Him before I can do what He’s appointed me to do.

            So for today, I will simply relish being God’s child, God’s beloved, God’s precious treasure. I will strive to be still and let Him be God.