Have you ever seen a child, squirming in their seat, despite their mother or father’s constant pleas to “sit still?” Or have you ever experienced a time when you were so nervous that you fidgeted in your seat, waiting for some important news or event? Maybe you are running to and fro, constantly caught up in the day’s activities, unable to stop and take a breath, even for a moment.

In this world, there are things that we all must accomplish each day. There are also things in life that are difficult to handle. It is natural for us to want to try to do as much as we can to either make others around us comfortable, or to find peace for our own troubled soul. But, try as we might, there are some things we cannot do alone. Even if we run ourselves ragged, twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week, peace can only be found through Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.

In Psalm 46:10 (NIV), we are given simple instructions on what we should do when we are feeling weary and spread too thin. God’s Word says, “‘Be still, and know that I am God.’” Notice this scripture does not say to run around like a chicken with your head cut off, trying to be about the Father’s business. Instead, it simply says, “‘Be still.’” In other words, stop. Slow down. Listen carefully to His voice.

Recently, I observed one particular child at a large event. Sitting in the row in front of me with their parent, the child did not want to sit still. Not only that, but this child continually stood up on their seat, blocking my view of the platform. They whined and complained to their parent, but no matter what consequence they were given, the behavior continued, just as before. The child stood up, walked across the seats, leaned on their parent’s shoulder, and complained some more. This cycle continued until the program was over. While I was a little annoyed that they would distract me during a beautiful portrayal of the life of Jesus, I thought of the parallel between this child and many children of God.

We get so wrapped up in the things that we are doing on this earth, and we often fail to remember that God is guiding us along the way. Instead of sitting still and listening to His voice, we keep running back and forth, whining about the things we want, listing the things that are going wrong, or even complaining about life itself. In our constant pacing, we often distract other people along the way. We block their view, and in doing so, we may cause them to miss out on some of the blessings God has in store for them as well.

The final part of that verse says, “‘know that I am God.’” God doesn’t say to be still and see if I turn out to be God. It doesn’t say to be still and wonder who I am. It says, know that I am God. The word know means to be absolutely certain about something, beyond a shadow of a doubt. God is saying that if we just stop what we are doing and pay attention, we will know that He is God. There will be no question. There will be no mistaking. We will know for a fact that the God of all creation cares for us, loves us, and is always with us.

In this world, people worship many different gods. But, there is only one God who is the Creator of the world. Genesis 1:1 (NIV) says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” It doesn’t say one of the gods; it says, “God” in the singular form of the noun. There is only one God who can save your soul. There is only one God who can make you whole. There is only one God who can give you real peace.

Maybe you’re reading this blog, thinking, I wish I knew this God Jennifer is writing about. Perhaps you have heard about Him before, but you feel you are not good enough to have a personal relationship with Him. God loves you. Don’t race around, looking for answers. Avoid living a hectic lifestyle, constantly searching for peace. Before you complain, look to God, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Simply be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10 NIV).

In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer