Do you ever sit down to have your Jesus time and just find your mind is wondering and will not quiet down so that you can focus? God tells us that if we are still, He will fight for us. But in a world that is constantly focused on having the next best thing, how is it possible to actually be still? How can we sit before the throne of God? Is it possible to just focus on who He is and how great He is?
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What if being still is just re-ordering our priorities and putting God first?
So often we can’t be still because we’re constantly looking for the next best thing. We have a fear of missing out as a society. But what if we realize that when we put our focus first on God, we can’t possibly miss out on anything else. Because next to God, everything else is meaningless (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Paul writes that he “considers everything worthless except for the saving grace of God” (Philippians 3:7-9).
What the Bible Tells us about Being Still
The Bible has a lot to say when it comes to being still. Here are just a few verses that come to mind.
Hold your peace and be still
Exodus 14:14 “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
The word used here for “be still” is ḥāraš (חָרַשׁ), meaning to be silent or to hold your peace.
The Lord can only fight for us if we let Him. So often we get in the way thinking we know what is best – how we can best protect ourselves – but God chose us before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). He knit us together in our mother’s womb and knows everything about us (Psalm 139:13). We need to be silent before Him and listen to what He wants to do.
Be still and let God be in control
Psalms 37:7 “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
The Word used here is dāmam (דָּמַם), which can be translated as “rest”. Often, we get distracted because of the things going on in the world. I mean, the world is literally going crazy right now. How could a loving God really let these things happen? We need to remember that God is in control, and we have seen time and time again the love that God has for all of His people. Even when our heart and flesh may fail, God is the strength of our heart and our portion forever (Psalm 73:26). Focus on the ways you’ve seen God work in the past. Remember that the God who did it before can do it again.
God Is Our Anchor
Psalms 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Hebrew word used here is rāp̄â (רָפָה) meaning “to sink, let drop, relax, abandon.” We have the hope of God as an anchor for our soul (Hebrews 6:19). When we are holding onto God, we don’t need to worry about the storm we are facing because we can trust that God will keep us safe through it. Psalms 46 states that God is our refuge, strength, and help in trouble. When you realize you don’t have the strength to fight your battles, hold on to God and let Him take over.
God Will Be Served
Jeremiah 47:6 “Alas, sword of the Lord, how long till you rest? Return to your sheath; cease and be still.”
Here, the Hebrew word used is dāmam (דָּמַם), meaning “to be silent, to be still, to wait, and to grow dumb.” During the time that Jeremiah 47 was written, the nation had turned away from God and they no longer followed God’s law. Everyone lived to please themselves and it was no longer safe to go out in the streets. They needed to turn back to God, serve Him faithfully, and wait on the Lord. Do you need to be still and know that He is God, waiting patiently on Him to act? How can you live your life in total surrender to God and be silent before Him in order to serve Him.
God is Holy
Zechariah 2:13 “Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.”
The Hebrew word used here is hāsâ (הָסָה), which means “to hold your peace or be silent before the Lord”. We need to remember our position before God when we come to him. Habakkuk 2:20 says “The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” Sometimes we come before God with petitions, and sometimes we come before Him in silence, expecting and allowing Him to speak into our lives, while reflecting on his holiness.
God Commands the Wind and the Waves to be still
Mark 4:39 “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”
The Greek words used here is phimoō (φιμόω), meaning “to muzzle, to put to silence, or to hold one’s peace.” God has the ability to silence us, covering us with His peace and making us still before Him, just as Jesus was in control of the waves. We can be confident that when we go to God with storms raging all around us, He will give us peace as we follow His command to be still before Him.
Real Life Application for how to be still before God
Coming before God and deciding to be still takes practice. It’s not usually something that can happen overnight. But if you set up for yourself a time to dedicate to God, knowing that you will turn off all distractions, and praying for His help, He will be faithful and help you learn to be still in His presence.
Work on understanding why God calls you to be still before Him as you go about your week. Ask yourself “what are some ways I can intentionally practice being still this week?” Do you need to set your phone aside while you have your daily quiet time with God? Do you need to not have music playing during a commute so that you can talk to God? Find some intentional and creative ways that you can slow down and minimize distractions and be still before God this week.
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