Being Still.

I read a devotion this morning that God used to confirm to me something He has been speaking to my heart this past week and a half.  Four simple words that sound easy enough to do, yet seem to be the hardest for me to comprehend.  Words that in essence should bring a quiet peace, but sometimes in my reality open up a whole new set of issues.  Four little words:

BE STILL AND KNOW.

I wouldn't label myself as a perfectionist, per say, but more of a planner...a doer if I may.  The Lord tells me to be still, I ask Him how.  He tells me to rest and know, I ask Him what He would like me to do while I am resting and knowing.  In my "being still", I am constantly moving! Instead of allowing these words to bring me to a place of infinite peace in my God, I allow them to create yet another burden that I place on myself as I strive my hardest to rest. The dictionary defines strive as to exert oneself vigorously; to struggle vigorously towards a goal. Which to me actually sounds like the exact opposite of what the Lord is telling me to do.  On the outside, I may look like the perfect spokesperson of rest, but inside my mind is running a million different ways trying to figure it out.  

What I have learned is that there is no formula when it comes to Jesus.  There are not five easy steps that I can learn or an online class that I can take.  The deeper my relationship is with Jesus, the more that I know Him.  The more I know about Him, the more I trust Him and the more that I trust Him, the more I can let go and simply rest in His goodness knowing that He is in sovereign control.  The confidence in truly knowing and believing that your life is securely in His Fatherly hands brings along a peace that transcends everything else and realizing that none of it depends on me makes it even better.

"Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”- Psalm 46:10 (NAS)