Be Still.

You know what I am not good at? I’m not good at standing, sitting, relaxing, and being still. I wake up most days ready to get after it. I am all gas and no brake. This gets me in trouble A LOT. Check my phone. Check the weather. Check the end of the Warriors game. Check my email. Check my newsfeed. Let's go. Let's do these things. There are chores to accomplish, diapers to change, and garbage cans to put out. There’s work to be done, people to serve, and calls to be made. I’ve got places to go and people to see. I tend to hit the floor in planning mode; my list ready, with a goal to check and accomplish it all.

Until recently, no one has ever asked me, “How do you wake up in the morning?” What's the first, second, or third thing you do when you first wake up? For me, my first thoughts have always jumped to what I plan to accomplish that day. What is the reason for this? Well, if I start getting more introspective and bearing my soul here, I think it has something to do with equating my worth to what I get done. It is almost as if the more I get done today, the more I will be loved by God and others. It is like a race of checking boxes off of my list throughout the hours in the day and minutes that pass. It’s the drive to be more productive than others. It’s like I’m vying for God's attention with my tasks and chores, as if He doesn’t have enough love and time for me. It's a bit odd. It is also like I’m competing with others to see who can do more, be more, and accomplish the most. Here's the truth: I've equated busyness with success. Don't believe me? Let me give you some examples:

If I have not seen a friend in awhile and I go grab coffee with them. (This is what pastors call "meetings"). We begin to exchange stories and here’s how it might go:

Friend: How have you been doing?

Me: Oh, my family and I are just so busy right now......child 1 is doing this...child 2 is doing that.....we're going here, there, and everywhere....Oh, the church....it is so busy. Oh... my home life is so busy.....Oh....busy....busy...busy.

What happened? I've equated busyness with progress and growth. To take it a step further, I've equated God's love and pleasure with how much I can do for him. Let me rephrase it: I've created busyness as a way of showing off my worth and value to others and to God. It is not healthy. It is actually a very sad admission.

Then, the famous Psalmist slaps me again in the face. He knew something about this rat race and tying worth to productivity. Which is why, this one always hits home:

Psalm 46:10: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

Knock it off Psalmist!

It was easy for you to be still. You were just out in fields staring at sheep for hours. It was easy for you. You did not have the iPhone begging for you to grab it every second. You did not have a notification sounding off every few minutes. Your life was much easier than mine. (But, was it?) It was easy for you to be a Psalmist. It was not like you were looking over at the other field next to you and trying to compete with who has the fattest sheep ? Come on Psalmist! Be still? In 2022? Ya, right. Not happening. What a farce!

At least that's how I feel when I read this Psalm. It is interesting, the Psalmist does not just say BE STILL. The writer does not just leave it there. The writer said BE STILL and KNOW. Know what? Know that I can accomplish 15 things in just one day? Know that my worth is tied to what people think and say about me? Not really. Know what? Know that He is GOD. Be still and know that He is God. I am not God. I am not in charge. I do not have all the answers. I cannot do more to earn God's love. I cannot be nicer to others to earn God's love. I cannot prove myself to God by what is done in a day, hour, or minute. I am designed to be with the One who is the ever present help in times of trouble and need. I was designed to rest in BEING and not in DOING. Why can't I learn this? As soon as I equate value in my accomplishments, status, or what I have, I lose the beauty of stillness, wonder, and awe.

Do not fall into the trap. We were designed for rest. We were designed for stillness. We were designed for deep breaths and calmed sighs. So before you do anything tomorrow, or any day, wake up in stillness, in peace, rest and purpose. Be secure in your identity and know that you’re not defined by what you accomplish. You will be better for it. Your family will be better for it. Your spouse will be better for it. Most importantly, our SOULS will be better for it.

Be Still And Know That He Is GOD.