Be still, and know that I am God… (Psalm 46:10, N.K.J.V.)

Royce was our child who couldn’t sit still. He was hyper, fidgety, squirmy, active, and all sorts of other wiggly. He could sit and play his PlayStation for hours, but he had to be constantly changing positions to do it. One minute he was sitting in his beanbag, but the next minute he was lying in it. Ten minutes later he was sitting on the floor, but five more minutes found him stretched out on the bed. He was the man of a thousand positions as he held that controller in his hands.

Then every so often he would jump up like a sprinter coming out of the blocks, bolt out of his room and into the kitchen at 100 miles per hour, grab a snack by way of a skill that would make NASCAR pit crews envious, and bolt back into his room. The whole event wouldn’t take 20 seconds. And the older he got, the faster time he made.

When he was just a little fellow in school, my wife Tonya literally had to say to his teachers, “Don’t expect Royce to sit perfectly still in a chair; if he did, he would die.” Of course, that same problem evidenced itself in church as well. Somewhere along the line, though, Tonya figured out that if she let him keep something in his hands while he was sitting in his pew, something he could toy with in order to release some of that ocean of energy he had inside him, he could make it through a sermon. Interestingly, what we discovered was that he could remember large portions of my sermons even though he never looked up to make eye contact with me. He was the opposite of the church member who could keep eye contact with me for an entire sermon and fifteen minutes later not remember a thing I said.

Truth be told, most of us have a little “Royce” in us when it comes to being still and knowing that God is God. Tell me, as you read Psalm 46:10, do you take those words “Be still” literally? If you do, then my question to you becomes, “When was the last time you actually sat down, ceased all motion, calmed yourself to the point of serenity, and spent some time one-on-one with God?” If your answer is, “It’s been a while” feel free to take your place in a long line.

Actually, however, those words “Be still” don’t have to be understood in a literal, physical way. Think about it, you can be physically still and yet your mind be anxiously racing a million miles per hour, right? For example, have you ever spent a night lying physically still in your bed even as your mind was racked with worry? Or how many of us have gone on vacation to try to get away from it all, only to find that we carried it all with us?

This is why I say that “Be still” can also be understood in a way that is less literal and physical. What I’m talking about is you intentionally ceasing from your plotting, planning, and scheming. Rather than try to jump three moves ahead of God you just focus on doing what He wants you to be doing today, right now, this very second. To me, this kind of “Be still” is every bit as important as the other kind.

Along these lines, do you know what most everyone misses about the words, “Be still, and know that I am God”? It’s the fact that those words are found within a Psalm that is all about God’s ability to provide deliverance and protection. As evidences that this is the heartbeat of the Psalm, consider the following excerpts (all from the N.K.J.V.):

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. (verse 1)

Therefore we will not fear… (verse 2)

The Lord of hosts is with us…. (verse 7 & verse 11)

You see, while having quiet times of inactivity and prayer can be extremely helpful, the Psalm isn’t advocating that kind of “Be still” so much as it’s advocating resting confidently in the promise that God has your back. Really, when we get right down to it, the “Be still” the Psalmist has in mind is something akin to the phrase “Let go and let God.” The idea is, you don’t have to have all the answers and you don’t have to hack your way through that jungle you call a life. Instead, all you have to do is get in step with God, obey Him in each and every decision, and find your rest in Him rather than in your circumstances.

The word we are looking for here is TRUST. You trust God to protect you. You trust Him to sustain you. You trust Him to meet your needs. You trust Him to guide you. You trust Him to handle your enemies.

But such trust doesn’t come easily for us, does it? No, what comes easily for us is worrying, plotting, planning, scheming, being impatient, and being anxious. We’ve got to be active, on the move, doing something. In this way, we are the polar opposite of, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Consequently, we do untold damage to ourselves mentally, emotionally, psychologically, physically, and spiritually.

Therefore, I challenge you right now to allow God to retrain you, teaching you how to truly be still and know that He is God. Hey, all you’ve got to lose is a ton of stress and a few points off your blood pressure, right? It’s a case of less being more. The less includes less worry, less strife, less nervous energy, and less fear, while the more includes more peace, more calmness, more contentment, and more joy. That sure sounds like a great tradeoff, doesn’t it? So, why don’t you take God up on the offer? I really don’t think you will regret it.