I was walking along the beach when I saw some fishermen ahead. I did not want to walk in front of their lines so I strolled up the beach behind them. I realized that while the fishermen were near their fishing poles, two young children played further up on the beach. I would have to walk in between the two groups to get by. The children looked young, around two or three years old. As soon as they saw me walk in between the space between their parents and them, I could see the panic come into their eyes. I tried to smile but the fear had already overtaken them, a stranger was closer than their mom and dad. One toddler looked sideways down at the beach, so that he could not see me. I think he figured if he could not see me, then I could not see him. The other toddler had the same idea but employed a bit more of a dramatic approach. He threw himself headlong into the sand to “hide” until I passed by.
Both of those little children felt that they had to take care of themselves. Even though their parents were nearby, neither one cried out for help. They did not think their mom and dad had the situation under control or they would not have come up with their own desperate, even messy, attempts to protect themselves.
I am too often like those toddlers. My heavenly Father is nearby, yet I come up with my own ways and ideas to “handle” the situation. Sometimes, I avoid the circumstances, thinking time will help but instead the situation spirals further out of control. Other times, I “dive in”, trying desperately to fix my circumstances, only to create a bigger mess. It feels so difficult to continue to trust when a painful situation arises that seems to come between God and me and when He does not seem near to me.
We often read the verse “Be still, and know that I am God…” (Psalm 46:10a) and think of it as a sweet little verse. I picture soft green hills, a brilliant blue sky, puffy white clouds which roll on by as I sit and reflect on God. Yet, if you study the context of this psalm, it is anything but a peaceful scene.
God is our refuge and strength, an every-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, thought the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:1-3)
That sounds like major turmoil. This entails catastrophic events. It is not a peaceful, green meadow but earthquakes, tsunamis, destruction, death. Further we read of more difficult situations:
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts His voice, the earth melts. (Psalm 46:6)
Here is mentioned wars, economic collapse, panic, chaos, instability, complete loss. This is utter calamity! How do we be still when everything around us is falling apart?
God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day…The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46: 5, 7)
We must focus on the truth of what God has promised us. He promises us that He is with us, will sustains us, will help us, and will protects us. “But,” you may say, “my world is falling apart!” Yes, it is. I know because mine is, too. However, God is not falling apart. This is not a denial of our reality. This is knowing the reality of our situation but ultimately trusting the reality of who God is and His heart towards us, even when He seems far away.
Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations He has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields with fire. (Psalm 46:9-10)
God will have the final say. He reigns over the earth. Review the victories of the Bible, remember the past victories in your own life. God will be victorious again. The weapons of the enemy against you shall be destroyed. After all this destruction, all this chaos and confusion, that is when God gives us this command:
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God…” (Psalm 46:10a)
Be still. Yes, there is turmoil and things are not as planned, but God is still on His throne. He is the King. He rules over your situation. Do not hide from the difficulties, do not try to attempt to create your own solution, do not stay away from Him in your pain and fear. Instead, settle down. The chaos around you does not have to enter you. Instead, you focus on the truth that God is God over a messy, violent, broken earth. And His victory in the end is guaranteed.
He says, “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)
God will be exalted over every nation- that means over every family, over every economy, over every government, over every system. God will be exalted in the earth- over every natural disaster and over every loss. God will be exalted, set up over, reigning over it all. Whatever situation you are facing, God will be over those circumstances. That is why you focus on God being God. His reign in heaven will be evident fully one day on earth.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. (Psalm 46:4)
The dwelling place of God is joyful and refreshing. God knows the messiness of earth. That is why He sent His Son to live and then die a horrific death on a cross to open the way for our eternity in heaven. The trials and tribulations on earth will fade away as we dwell forever in the victory of God over pain, destruction, grief, loss, and death.
While we may not know how our situations will specifically turn out, or when things will change; we do know that in the end we will dwell with God in joy forever. We do not have to hide from the painful situations or try to fix them ourselves but instead look to our Heavenly Father to care for us, to fight for us, to help us during our difficult time.
In this truth, we can be still and know that He is God. We do not have to panic, hide, or throw ourselves into the sand. Instead, we can be at peace to know that God is for us, He is with in every situation, and in the end, victory is guaranteed! Be still and know that He is God!