Psalm 37:3-9
Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
“Be still.”
When I first hear this phrase, I think of it in very literal terms. Stop what you’re doing, Camille. Slow down.
Breathe.
And I think there’s a very important lesson in that for me. I’m usually on the go, go, GO and find it hard to stop and listen to what the Lord has to teach me. I know that I will learn so much when I stop to really read and apply the lessons from His Word. I know that my heart is always full after spending time in prayer, praising and thanking God for His work in my life. It’s just hard to slow down and drink in those moments.
I learned this week that the original Hebrew command translated “be still” comes from the word “rapha” which means to “cease” “let go” or “surrender.”
I was thinking about this Tuesday night - election night - as all of America was on edge awaiting word of the election results. No matter which candidate had your vote, the evening was filled with stress, anxiety, and fear.
I had the TV on and my computer open. I went back and forth from watching the polls close, to watching my friends comment on Facebook – friends from both sides of the political spectrum! And I noticed something interesting in myself. When I read commentary on the candidates, the state of our country, and the issues we face in the future, I felt the physical effects of stress. My muscles tightened and my stomach hurt. But when I read a scripture verse posted instead of a political rant, my entire body relaxed as I realized WHO was in control. Worldly concerns brought fear; spiritual reassurance brought focus.
Some of the verses that brought clarity and assurance were:
And I think there’s a very important lesson in that for me. I’m usually on the go, go, GO and find it hard to stop and listen to what the Lord has to teach me. I know that I will learn so much when I stop to really read and apply the lessons from His Word. I know that my heart is always full after spending time in prayer, praising and thanking God for His work in my life. It’s just hard to slow down and drink in those moments.
I learned this week that the original Hebrew command translated “be still” comes from the word “rapha” which means to “cease” “let go” or “surrender.”
I was thinking about this Tuesday night - election night - as all of America was on edge awaiting word of the election results. No matter which candidate had your vote, the evening was filled with stress, anxiety, and fear.
I had the TV on and my computer open. I went back and forth from watching the polls close, to watching my friends comment on Facebook – friends from both sides of the political spectrum! And I noticed something interesting in myself. When I read commentary on the candidates, the state of our country, and the issues we face in the future, I felt the physical effects of stress. My muscles tightened and my stomach hurt. But when I read a scripture verse posted instead of a political rant, my entire body relaxed as I realized WHO was in control. Worldly concerns brought fear; spiritual reassurance brought focus.
Some of the verses that brought clarity and assurance were:
Psalm 13:5-6
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
What fear is gripping your heart today? He wants us, instructs us to be still…rapha…let go so that we can KNOW our Almighty God and see clearly His work in our lives.
Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
