Be Still and Know

Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on earth. Psalm 46:10

I don’t know about you, but lately it seems as though the light is diminishing more and more in this world. Things are getting heavy, real heavy. Fear and anxiety seem to be ramping back up. Stress levels are increasing. It’s getting dark. It’s getting scary. It’s hard to find reasons to smile on most days when dread and chaos are running rampant in the lives of those around us. When the problems of this world tend to overwhelm my heart and mind, I have found it does me good, to stop and see where my focus is. Wherever my eyes tend to point, the mind and heart will follow. If my eyes are continually scrolling through social media, or my ears are constantly listening to the news, it is safe to say that my mood turns sour. Unfortunately, it doesn’t only affect me, but that negative energy flows out onto those around me. I must take some time to quiet the chaos and noise of the world and redirect my eyes on the one my hope lies in and that is Jesus. He is an anchor for our soul if we keep our gaze upon him and trust his word.

Learning to “be still” can be hard in this fast paced life we live in. Some people will run from times of silence or solitude, being alone with their thoughts causes uneasiness and even anxiety, others tend to yearn for it and embrace it. I am the latter. I need moments of silence in my life. I need times when it’s just me, God, and his creation. It helps me to reflect and redirect my focus and thought pattern. It is so easy to get bogged down and go into a mental hole when I spend too much time focusing on the wrong things. There are some situations I have no control over, but I can pray about them to a God who is still in control. Never underestimate the power of prayer. God has the power to breath new life into any situation, no matter how dire it may seem. It is often in those times his glory and power is revealed.

Despite what your social media news feed may say, or the local news station or radio, there is still good around us. If we spend too much time focusing on all the bad, we may just let the good slip right past us. Take time to look for it, to thank God when you see it, and more importantly, be it. We are to be a light in this dark world and with God’s help we can be. I encourage you too keep looking up, stay in his word, pray without ceasing, and fix your eyes upon Jesus.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

Keep moving forward,

Hayley W