Be still and know that I am God. ~ Psalm 46:10
How hard it is for us to be still. How difficult it can be to let go of what seems overwhelming to us in order to find our rest in God. The apostle Peter said, “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). This means truly trusting God with what is causing us to worry and be anxious. It means to find a place of peace knowing that God is in control, and He cares for you.
One translation of Psalm 46:10 reads, “Cease striving and know that I am God.” This is what happens when we hold on to our care. We view and act according to the flesh. We feel that the situation is in our hands because we struggle with turning it over to an unseen God. This is understandable in the natural, but we are called to live in the Spirit.
But does such a verse even apply to us today? Can we stand upon the promise of Psalm 46:10 when dealing with our own cares and worries? Yes, we can. Even the New Testament church used the Old Testament passages during their times of trial:
For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. ~ Romans 15:4
The Bible may be thousands of years old, but it’s there for our instruction so that we might learn to find comfort and hope for our own lives. Sure, maybe the psalmist had a particular event in mind, but the truths regarding the attitude and character of God remain eternal. As it says in verse one, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” He is still that to us today.
To cease striving and know that He is God is certainly easier said than done, but if we will stand upon the promises of God’s Word through our problems, then our mind, will, and emotions will learn to submit themselves to its authority. This is what will create a very real experience where we actually become still.
