Be Still

"Be still and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth!" (Psalm 46:10).

How do we react when we hear bad news?

Often, we panic. There's a part of our brain called the amygdala that triggers our fight or flight response. This panic can lead us to make grave mistake or make our lives full of stress.

So, what was Martin Luther's reaction to discouraging news?

One of Martin Luther's favorite Psalms was Psalm 46. It's noted that in his darkest moments, Luther would invite his friends to sing this Psalm. This very Psalm inspired Luther to pen the great reformation hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." It is said that Luther wrote this hymn during the Black Plague outbreak in the winter of 1527, which nearly took the life of his child. Luther was physically weak from exhaustion at the time. However, he began meditating on Psalm 46, finding comfort, and gave birth to the hymn.

Then there's the remarkable story of Don Richardson, a missionary to the Sawi people in Papua. He spent a long time trying to convert them but continuously faced rejection. One day, while out in a boat with his wife and two infants, along with a Sawi tribesman, their boat capsized. Both children were carried away by the current. The river they were in was not just any river; it was a dark river infested with crocodiles.

Long story short, everyone survived.

When they returned, and the people heard the story, one of the Sawi elders came to Don and expressed his intention to convert.

"What made you choose the Tarop of God (which is Jesus Christ)?" Don asked.

"When I saw that the Lord could give you peace even when your two children were nearly drowned, I knew that everything you said about Him must be true. I decided that He could protect us too."

How can we stay calm and be still when we hear bad news or find ourselves in dire situations?

The key is one thing: because we choose to believe.

Because we believe that God is good.

Because we believe that God is in control of everything, including what's happening in our lives.

Because we allow the peace of God to rule over our panic.

Because we believe that God sustains us and that, in the end, all will be well.

"Be still and know that I am God!" – The word "be still" in Hebrew comes from the word "raphah", meaning to relax or let go.

When we choose to be still, it's the moment when we humble ourselves before the Lord, acknowledging that it is God's hand that is mighty, not ours. It's the moment when we accept that God's timing isn't our timing but is always the best. Just as Peter wrote, "If you bow low in God’s awesome presence, he will eventually exalt you as you leave the timing in his hands" (1 Peter 5:6, TPT).

Be still.
Relax.
Let go.

God is in control of everything. God is good.