Be Still and Know that He is God

"Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46: 10)

Why is this exhortation so difficult?

Because the noise in our heads starts to scare us and spark us into panic:

"If you don't do anything, nothing will happen."

Last time I checked, there was nothing that I could do to be saved.

"8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast."  (Ephesians 2: 8-9)

And apart from Him, we can do nothing:

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15: 5)

Notice that Jesus is the branches, therefore we can rest in Him.

Why was this so difficult?

We get a mixed message so much of the time,

"You have to do your part, so that God can do His part."

We have no part to play apart from Him.

I must say that in the past week, I have sensed a greater sense of rest than before.

For the first time, I did not feel that I had to generate life and options, outcomes or opportunities on my own.

I understand a little more every day why Paul prayed, declared to the Ephesian Christians "I bow the knee" that we would know the love of Christ for us. (Ephesians 3:16-19)

So, most of us refuse to rest because we do not believe that He is at work.

For me, especially, the reason why I believed that God was not on the job was that I kept looking at myself. What was I thinking or feeling? What was I doing?

This is an old discussion, perhaps, and a number of fearful thoughts have arisen for me.

The entanglements in which we find ourselves can cause so much frustration.

He is God, we are not. He is in charge, we are not. We need to know Him, and more importantly understand that He knows us.

I have spent so much time trying to figure myself out.

What?!

Let’s see more of Him, and how He is taking care of all things.