Be Still and Know that I am God

Below is a combination of notes from a discussion at Bible study, some of my thoughts journaled, and what God is teaching me.


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Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! ~ Psalm 46:10

“Would you rather worry than be still?”

Lord, forgive me for the times I have worried and planned instead of just being still and acknowledging that You are God. 

There have been so many times when I’ve planned, worried, and just spent time thinking about ideas of what I should do with my life; instead of being still and knowing that He is God.

Nothing is going to come out the way I plan it. God is in control. Not me. He is the planner and script writer of my life. Not me. He is the One who will perfectly bring everything together in His perfect timing. He knows what is best. He knows my weaknesses and strengths- He is the One who formed me. He is the perfect One and the only One who is able to plan my life perfectly and make it happen.

“If you be still, God will answer the questions and lead you. If we aren’t quiet, so we can hear His voice, we might miss something.”

If I’m not still, if I don’t listen, God won’t be able to lead as clearly?

“The original Hebrew word for ‘still’ in Psalm 46 pictures a physical position. It’s like letting your body go limp or relaxing the grip of your hand. It simply means you quiet your slef by acknowledging He is God and His ways rule.”

I like the picture of loosening your grip on something. It’s almost as if God is gently asking us to simply let go and let Him use whatever we were holding. Loosen your grip. You don’t need to worry. God is actually the One in charge- not you. You don’t need to have everything figured out, because God already does and He will show you detail by detail. Maybe not all at the same time, but as He sees fit.

Loosen your grip.

It will take humility; humility to recognize and realize that I really can’t do anything. Nothing. That is without Jesus, who is the source of our strength and joy.

Why do we so often avoid God’s plea to be still? So much to do, too busy, being still and prayer aren’t priority. We don’t want to take the time to acknowledge that He is God and Rules at that particular moment. We would rather worry and do things ourselves instead of give it to God and let Him help us. We are too impatient to take the time to be still for a moment and rest in His presence.

Sadly, I know this is the truth for me.

Why do we find it so hard to “be still and know that He is God?” It’s my sin nature. I’m rebellious and thinking my way is beter than His, but really His ways are higher than mine. Do I trust Him enough to let Him rule truly; to let Him rule in little things as well as every part of my life? This will take surrender.

Being still and acknowledging that He is Lord requires unselfishness. That’s why surrender is so hard. What will it take for me to let Him take control?

Willingness to surrender needs “stillness” to follow so God can lead. Not necessarily that He is not able to lead, but if we are still, we let Him lead? I think, this is the part I really need to work on.

If I’m willing to let Him be in control, I need to demonstrate that by spending time listening to Him and talking with Him. How is He supposed to lead if we don’t ever listen to Him? Oh, my, I need to work on this and spend time listening to Jesus. Also, how else will I be able to go any farther pursuing to know God if I don’t practice stillness? The truth is that if I don’t be still and listen and make Him Lord, I can’t know Him at all personally.

I’m finding that I really needed this lesson of being still before God tonight.

Lord, make me still! Help me to depend on You and honor You by spending time listening to You and being still before You. Make my life an alleluia, a song of praise that acknowledges that You are God.