Be Still and Know That I am God
Sometimes everything in life can become overwhelming, so much so that you might need to pause and take a moment to catch your breath. Going through life just like a leaf over the face of the water, just moving around as the current dictates, the leaf only knows peace when the water is quiet when it is still – that is how we humans are in the grand scheme of things.
The struggle to attain this and that moves us so much that we forget that there is a higher power who has the answers to all our questions. Just like the disciples that night on the boat, the storm was raging and threatening to flip their ship over Mark 4 vs. 35 – 41, and they were all worried, only to go wake up Jesus to see if he cared if they eventually drowned.
His response would serve as a foundation for our study into this topic “Be Still and know that I am God.” Jesus said unto them, ” why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”. He perfectly summarized all that was their concern in one simple sentence, fear and doubt. How often have you been worried and resonated with this verse “Be still and know that I am God” to yourself?.
What Is Stillness?
The absence of movement or sound is perceived as stillness. To better explain this scenario with something we can easily see in our surroundings, we should take a look at a body of water. A still body of water doesn’t make noise or move, its surface is calm, but the water at the beach with the sudden waves and movements is turbulent.
Let me now ask you, does anything thrive in turbulence? Does anything grow in turbulence? No, nothing thrives or fosters well in a place of trouble. Hence, the need for calm and serenity. And why does God keep telling us, “Be calm; I am still God.” It’s because we need that reassurance, but do we take heed of it?.
What Disrupts Stillness?
Immediately when you give your life to Christ, Ephesians 5 vs. 8, the troubles and trials that accompany a life of sin will become a thing of yesterday in your life. Psalm 23 vs. 2 – 3 fully exemplifies this when he said he leads you beside the still waters, and He restores your soul. However, this doesn’t mean that such peace wouldn’t come under threat from that man who only comes to steal and to destroy – Satan.
Light and Darkness cannot exist at once. John 1 vs. 5 says darkness can never overcome the light, but it can disrupt the process. The body is governed by that which happens in the spirit realm; hence the impurities that you might feed your body and soul could cause troubles and hindrances that would hinder the smooth process of the holy spirit in your life, hence the need to be careful about what you consume. Flee from sin and all its cohorts.
What Does Stillness Connote?
In Psalm 46 vs. 2 – 3, where the Bible says, “Be still and know that I am God,” it was said to calm and placate the people of Jerusalem in a time of war. We all know that God is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever; hence the importance and significance of this verse can be said for us today. So what does it mean?
“Be still and know that I am God, to every Christian, is to reassure us all that he will always be there for us, no matter what. Like, why are you troubled, worried, scared, petrified – all characters that are the opposite stillness, Be still and know that I am God – ” chill, I got this, I got you.” Many more times, we lose focus and forget who we are dealing with – God and what he can do.
When we are still, we exercise good faith and trust in God, which is all he needs, and he has already told us severally that this would not fail us; all you need to do is be Still. In Psalm 34 vs. 10, he told us about the sons of lions that do go hungry, but if we put our trust in him, we shall lack no good thing, just Be Still.
A Biblical Example
Let’s take a look at a particular story in the book of Daniel 6 in the Bible where Daniel – The prophet, was thrown into a den of lions because he continued to pray to God, which was against the given command of the ruling king.
“Oh great King, do have mercy,” ” oh, I’m sorry,” “please, I’ll never do it again.” None of these was Daniel’s reaction. Why? Because he knew the God he served. He was thrown into the den, the creatures were hungry, yet he was calm through it all because he knew even though the answers to his prayer were delayed that they would eventually come, and his worries wouldn’t solve anything in the present; so he remained calm.
Yes, his answer came ultimately, but he never once doubted nor spoke against God; he was still and just waited. He didn’t get carried away with his present situation or the danger of the moment. He knew how powerful his God was, and that no situation was beyond his control for him to be saved; he was still and knew God. Are you that kind of Christian today? Here is God speaking to you- Be Still and know that I am God.
How To Engage Stillness?
When trying to engage stillness, just think to “let go and let God,” with all your mind, body, and soul, and release all the affairs of the entire situation unto his hands. Alpha and Omega know the beginning from the end, so why not let him? You should.
However, as you are letting go and letting God, it doesn’t mean you should be lax and rest on your hands – Heaven helps those who help themselves. There are a couple of things you can engage yourself in as he comes and steps into the situation.
Worship: God dwells in our praises as his people, and worries can’t exist in such an atmosphere. It reassures you physically, mentally, and spiritually of the fact that God is on the throne – confidence. It allows you into his court and presence, enabling you to make a request to his face. Easy!
Pray: Someone once told me that the distance between your request and an answer is the distance between your knees and the ground when you pray. When you get down on your knees, it’s an act of surrender and prayers – God hears the prayers of a sincere heart. Be Still and Pray.
Testify: When in such situations, and chances might seem low and the odds against you, always reassure yourself and testify to the goodness of the past. This can help strengthen you and erase any doubt you might have. Remember his word, cling to it, and converse with it to him.
Gratitude: Jesus always gave thanks whenever he was about to perform a miracle and always opened with this statement, ” Father, I thank you for always hearing me.” – at the tomb of LazarusJohn 11 vs. 41, the sermon on the mount to Mathew 14 vs. 13 – 21. Gratitude opens up the gates of heaven and makes your blessings permanent. Remember the parable of the ten lepers? Like 17 vs. 11 – 19
Watch: God works in miraculous ways, and these ways which we might not be able to see are mysterious to the human brain and mind. His ways are not our ways; so we need to be vigilant to see God at work and pay attention to the things of the spirit. Once he opens our eyes to see the glory and his hand at work, then we have all the reassurance we need.
F.A.Q
What does “still” mean according to the Bible?
According to the Bible, being still means being calm, stopping fighting a situation, and surrendering all into God’s hand. Psalm 46 vs. 10 exemplifies this. It was used to signify calm or surrender in a particular situation.
What is the Hebrew word for “still”?
The word “still” was derived from the word ” Rapha” in Hebrew, and this meant to be weak, to surrender or release, and can be found in the Bible being used as such.
How many times did God say “be still” in the Bible?
It is said numerous times in the Bible, but we can’t establish the number of times God said it. But it was notably used by him in Psalm 46 vs. 10. Some researchers, however, say it was mentioned seven times in the bible.
Conclusion
Whenever we channel into the mystery of “Be Still and know that I am God,” we are letting everything fall into the hands of God in the act of total surrender. It is to encourage us that we can do nothing on our own and he can do all. We don’t need to worry; he has all the keys and answers.
