"Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10 NIV)
In the middle of the hustle and bustle of life as Christian women at work, it can be hard to catch your breath or keep your stress levels down, especially when the unexpected happens or you are in an unusually busy season.
I have found that the days where I start off being still before God in a time of reflecting on His Promises, resting in His Presence, and quietly listening for His promptings are the days where my faith is best put into action at work.
As we take a closer look at Psalm 46, we see a few clues as to why we should be still and know that He is God.
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam, and the mountains quake with their surging.
We see in the 3 verses above that when we choose God to be our refuge and strength, and turn to Him when we face trouble, we will not fear no matter what is happening about us.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fail. God will help her at break of day.
God is not only with His city but lives it alongside those who inhabit it, and the verse above reconfirms what we saw in verse one that God will always be her rescuer.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall. He lifts His voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done; the desolations He has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields with fire.
We see in verses 6-9 that God is actively at work among the nations, speaking mightily, causing wars to end as only He can by breaking the weaponry and bypassing the defenses of the enemy being faced. Throughout the history of Israel, we see God come to the defense of His people over and over again in some pretty amazing ways!
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
And we end Psalm 46 with verses 10 & 22 which remind us that based on everything we have just read, God has not changed. He is still God, He will be exalted across the world, and He is always with us. So we can be still and rest in that knowledge, and in the safety we experience in His Presence as His daughters.
So how does that translate into our busy days in the workplace?
1. Reflect on His Promises - as we did in Psalm 46 today, spend time reading the Word and believing the same God who protects and provides for His children is the same today as He was yesterday, and will be tomorrow.
Make a list of the Promises which speak the most to you in this season. Keep it in the front cover of your Bible or your notebook, and refer to it every day, but intentionally do so during the more stressful seasons you are going through. This will remind you how He is consistent no matter what!
2. Rest in His Presence - after reviewing His Word, spend some time just being with God. Sometimes I will put on a quiet worship song, and rest in those moments. Not looking at what is ahead for the day, but at the God whom I am spending time with right now.
Make sure you are including this important time to just be with God when you are planning your quiet time. This can be hard for someone to get become accustomed to, so if you have never tried doing this before, begin with 5 minutes.
3. Quietly Listen for His Promptings - then bring your requests to God - your worries or concerns about the day ahead or your family/friends/staff. Once you have done that, pause to hear His voice in response.
Consider writing out your prayers and leave space under each request to write what You hear God speaking to you about it. This will also help build up your faith as you put a record together of your conversation with God.
Bringing This to God in Prayer:
God, help me to look to You first each day before I begin tackling my to do list. I want to learn to be still in Your Presence, become more grounded in my faith, and hear Your voice more clearly. May I rest in You no matter what I am facing, knowing that You are for me, with me, and my place of refuge when things are stressful. In Jesus' name, Amen.