“Be still and be quiet!” When I was a child, I can’t count the number of times I heard this spoken by my mother or a teacher. Children are full of energy, and it is very challenging for them to be still, quiet, and not move around at all. They love movement, as well they should. It’s a blessing to be able to jump up and down, and to run and play. They can be so rambunctious that sometimes it takes repeatedly telling them to sit still and be quiet before they will concede. Well, one piece of knowledge that I’ve learned over the years is that it takes just as much convincing for the adult as it does for the child…even more so I believe. We’ve trained ourselves to behave, think, and do whatever we want, whenever we want. It’s not a good look when it comes to spiritual discipline.
God has placed those with spiritual maturity, authority, and wisdom in our lives to help us. They are well-seasoned in His Word. They are able to teach us God’s truth, to make us realize what we’re doing wrong and correct us, so that we can reroute ourselves and begin to do what is right. (2Timothy 3:16) We’re not always amenable to this. Our response is sometimes, “I’m grown! I pay my own bills, and I will make my own decisions and choices about what is best for me.” This attitude changes very quickly when life throws a monkey wrench into our plans, and things don’t turn out as we had hoped.
When it comes to relationships, or any other situation for that matter, we can’t afford a rebellious, hardheaded or hardhearted attitude. Things can get complicated and hurtful very quickly and being still and quiet is exactly what we need to do, so that we can hear from the Lord.
Sometimes we place ourselves in situations where we’re giving away the power that God has placed in our hands. Desperation in times of turbulence prompts us to do things like incessantly call or text the man that we’re emotionally tied to. We compromise our dignity and betray our highest selves for the sake of having this person in our lives. We do this even when the man’s level of commitment nowhere equals the one we are willing to make. We won’t sit still and be quiet, because we don’t want to face the reality that what we want isn’t what’s best for us. We are required to reach a greater level of maturity than this.
Philippians 4:6(NLT) is one of my favorite scriptures, because it’s the right approach for every situation under the sun. It says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Our Heavenly Father tells us time and time again to place our trust in Him regarding every situation we encounter in life. He knows the details, and He also knows what is best for us. Being anxious means that we’re worried or nervous about a certain outcome. This kind of behavior or emotion is the opposite of how we, as God’s children, should be.
Psalm 46:10 (NLT) instructs us to “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!” Heavenly Father doesn’t need our help to handle the situations we face, but He requires our faith. He knew the answer before we knew the problem, and He’s given us specific instruction on what to do and how to behave; we must be still, be quiet, and know that He is God.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Be Still and Be Quiet”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2018. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.
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