Resting in God

Be still, and know that I am God . . . (Psalms 46:10a).

The command in Psalms has many facets to it. "In Scripture, stillness is often when the deepest transformations take place. ... We often pray for the strength to act. Sometimes we need the grace to wait. And waiting doesn't mean nothing is happening. A seed in the soil looks motionless, but life is bursting inside. The same is true in your soul when you rest in God."

"Stillness, then, is not just a spiritual act. It's a deeply theological one. It declares, 'God rules the world, not me.' If you never stop, you'll start to believe the world rests on your shoulders. It doesn't. ... If anyone could have skipped rest, it was Jesus. But He didn’t. He often withdrew to desolate places to pray (Luke 5:16). He took time to be with the Father, away from the crowds, even when people needed Him. His rest wasn’t selfish. It was sacred. You know what? That challenges us. We treat exhaustion as a badge of honor. But Jesus showed restraint. He modeled rhythms of work and rest, engagement and retreat. He wasn’t rushed. He never panicked. He walked with peace because He walked with the Father. If the Son of God needed solitude, what makes us think we don’t?"

"God isn't after performance. He wants your presence. And stillness is how you give it. ... "One reason we struggle with stillness is because we've lost sight of the holiness of God. Proverbs 1:7 reminds us that 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.' To be still before God is to stand in awe, not boredom. ... Stillness is not about emptiness. It's about the fullness of God's presence." Let's be still and enjoy the fullness of God today.

(Quotes taken from A Biblical Guide to Overcoming Anxiety by Good Books & Faith Beacon Publishing)

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