Be Still: Learning to Wait While God WorksSample

We’re focusing a lot on verse 10 of Psalm 46, the verse which reminds us to Be Still, but Psalm 46 actually starts off in the very first verse with this setup: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

We’re reminded at the very beginning of the kind of God we serve. The song begins with strong statements about God's protective power and availability. In Hebrew, the word "refuge" is similar to the term "shelter:" a place of safety away from a particular danger. Likewise, the original Hebrew more naturally implies that God is "very present" in the sense that He has proven His ability to see and care for His people. He is not hard to see or perceive; He is near and accessible.

That level of care should inspire us to trust rather than fear.

Going back to verse 10, we are commanded to "be still" and trust in the truth of who God is. The main point of this passage is for us to end our striving by relying instead on the strength of God.

“Be still” is not just a pair of sweet, nice words. This isn’t a suggestion. It’s a command.

I like the Christian Standard Bible translation of Psalms 46:10, which reads like this: “Stop fighting, and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”

What are YOU fighting that isn’t yours to fight?

What weapons are you using to fight this battle? Your time, energy, money? How is it going?

Why do we tend to do the same thing over and over again, even though we keep getting the same outcome? What would happen if we stopped? What if we took back our time, energy, and money?

After we’re commanded to “Be still,” the next part of Psalms 46:10 tells us what to do while we’re still: “…and know that I am God.”

AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

How have you have seen/felt God through your trials? How have you KNOWN that God is God?

If we have seen God and know and believe He is working, why do we go to fix-it mode and become roadblocks? When we do that, do we cause His plan to be detoured? Why are we not being still?

Think through any of these questions and write your answers in your journal. Don’t be afraid to go long.