By: Amy Catilina
Be still and know that I am God. Psalms 46:10a
The words “be still and know that I am God” appear at the end of a Psalm that has recounted God’s mighty deeds in the midst of chaos, strife, disaster, and warfare. To be still is quite the opposite of our natural tendencies; we are far more inclined to fret, panic, and get busy doing something.
Even when we are not facing dire circumstances, the mundane tasks of daily life keep us moms in constant motion. Meeting our husband’s and children’s needs, laundry, cleaning, cooking, meal planning, exercising, carpooling, correspondence, and, for some, working outside the home or educating our children at home, to name but a few–who has time to be still? At the end of the day when the rest of my family is winding down, I find I am still buzzing around the house, preparing tomorrow’s lunches, making sure the dog gets let out to pee, and ensuring that last load of laundry gets into the dryer.
Further, regardless of our physical activity, our hearts and minds still churn. There will always be something to ponder, plan, or fret about. Will my children turn out ok in the end despite my mistakes? Am I meeting my husband’s needs? Will my boss be happy with my work? Will my husband ever understand me and meet my needs the way I’d like? Am I being an effective ambassador for Christ?
Finally, in addition to our own tendencies to be outwardly and inwardly in motion, there is constant “noise” surrounding us–sometimes blaring, sometimes quite subtle. There are many good things–being on top of world events and political trends, keeping up with friends on social media, even reading some wonderfully well-written fiction or Christian living books–that vie for our time and attention. There are myriad messages slamming our minds daily. Unless we consciously quiet the noise, it will be very hard to hear God’s still small voice.
As moms, don’t we use the same words? When I tell my daughter to “hold still”, it is usually because I am trying to accomplish something for her or to help her to accomplish something. For example: brushing or braiding her hair, tying her shoes, or buttoning up the back of her dress on Sunday morning. If she continues to fidget or squirm, I am unable to accomplish the goal.
The Lord, likewise, is trying to accomplish things in our lives and in our hearts, and he has one answer to our self-imposed busyness: BE STILL. It is a command, and it takes intentionality.
I confess, I have had seasons in which I was rarely physically or spiritually still. But personal stillness each morning, before the day begins, is my goal. To be still and know that He is God is to stop moving, to cease striving, to purposefully take time away from the routines and the “noise” of our days to consciously acknowledge—and yield to—His presence, His reality, His attributes of power, might, wisdom, love, grace, mercy, sovereignty over our days and the affairs of this world–to name but a few. This is best done in His word, soaking up who He is, and through prayer, communing with Him by His Spirit.
God’s word provides a beautiful word picture of stillness:
“My heart is not proud, Oh Lord, my eyes are not haughty. I do not concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.” Psalm 131
While a nursing infant squirms and roots and fusses until it finds the breast a weaned child can rest in its mothers’ arms, fully content, with no desperate craving.
May we each cultivate such stillness and rest contentedly in our Lord, knowing that He is God.
AMY CANTILINA is an Air Force wife and mom to 4 precious kiddos — two conceived in her womb and two conceived in her heart, coming home to their forever family from China. She is a Jesus-lover, wannabe writer, endurance athlete, Bible study leader, and wears whatever other hats her family’s military lifestyle might bring along. She is being stretched by mothering through a wide range of ages and needs — high school through kindergarten, some with special medical needs or developmental delays.