Be Still
By Venus Laney
"Be still, and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10
So many times when I have thought about this verse, it has been
a reminder to 'let go and let God'. It is completely against the
instincts of our flesh to surrender a problem to Him without
trying to work it out within ourselves. Sometimes we need that
reminder that it is necessary and ok to "BE STILL". But, today I
am drawn to the part of the verse that instructs us to KNOW He
is God. What does that really mean to "know"? Here are a few
good definitions I found
v. know
1. To perceive directly; grasp in the mind with clarity or
certainty.
2. To regard as true beyond doubt:
3. To have a practical understanding of, as through experience;
be skilled in:
4. To have fixed in the mind:
5. To have experience of:
a. To perceive as familiar; recognize:
b. To be acquainted with:
6. To be able to distinguish; recognize as distinct:
7. To discern the character or nature of:
know. (n.d.). The American Heritage Dictionary of the English
Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved August 23, 2007, from
Dictionary.com website
Isn't that awesome to think of knowing Him in these terms?
To grasp in the mind with CERTAINTY "In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1
To understand God, we must learn from His word. This makes me
think of preparing for a test in school. You couldn't rightfully
say you learned something until you were able to apply it. That
takes repetition, memorization, and application. We have to do
more than just read His word, but repeat it and apply in our
daily lives for it to become true knowledge.
To regard as true beyond doubt. Trust and believe that "he works
all things together for the good of those who love Him and are
called according to His purpose" no matter what the
circumstances may look like. Don't allow doubt to enter your
mind about your situation right now! Doubt is not trusting in
His power or abilities. I accurately heard doubt described as
putting faith in the devil. That's a harsh reality.
To have a practical understanding of, as through experience
personal experience is KEY to knowing God. We can know ABOUT
lots of people, but to truly say we KNOW someone means we have
interacted with them and have personal accounts of our
experiences.
To be able to distinguish; Discern the character or nature of ;
We have to recognize and distinguish God's presence in our
lives. "Then he was told, "Go, stand on the mountain at
attention before God. God will pass by." A hurricane wind ripped
through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but
God wasn't to be found in the wind; after the wind an
earthquake, but God wasn't in the earthquake; and after the
earthquake fire, but God wasn't in the fire; and after the fire
a gentle and quiet whisper. " 1 Kings 19:11-12. Elijah was able
to discern that God was in that still small voice.
Why is all this so important? Because at the times when this
verse is most often applied, we are in the midst of a storm. If
you can't see God through the darkness or feel His presence in
the turmoil, do you KNOW Him enough to say that He is there?
Back to the analogy of school when you took a test, the
information and book with the answers were not readily available
where you could see them. But if you KNEW them, the answers were
inside. And no one could take that from you.
If you are struggling right now, be still. Know Him. Trust Him.
Remember the victories He has brought you in the past. Read the
promises of hope in His word. Don't let doubt enter in and steal
your faith. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not
on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5 Look closely at the
world around you and see areas that He IS operating in discern
what He is doing elsewhere if you can't see Him at work in your
own situation yet. Stir up your faith. My prayer for you right
now is from the words of the apostle Paul in Ephesians 1:17;
that God "may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation that
you may KNOW HIM BETTER."
Venus Laney is an inspirational writer, songwriter and
singer. Whether through songs of praise or written word, her
personal reflection and use of God's word is meant to glorify
the King and draw the listener/reader closer to Him.
http://www.venuslaney.com
