Still…calm…relaxed…peaceful…do these words describe you? In the craziness of the holiday season stillness can be extremely hard to find. For me even when I stop my physical activity I still manage to continually occupy my mind with concerns and struggles. In Psalm 46 the Psalmist calls us to be still and know that God is God. The words be still in the original Hebrew language is raphah which means:

1) to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened

a) (Qal)

1) to sink down

2) to sink, drop

3) to sink, relax, abate

4) to relax, withdraw

b) (Niphal) idle (participle)

c) (Piel) to let drop

d) (Hiphil)

1) to let drop, abandon, relax, refrain, forsake

2) to let go

3) to refrain, let alone

4) to be quiet

Really read through that definition and begin asking yourself if that defines you. If you read through the Psalm you can get the general idea. God is amazing and powerful which means he is able to handle our little worlds. The more that we allow this truth to sink into our hearts, the more that we will understand what it looks like to trust him. The more that we understand what trusting him is all about, the more that we will learn about stillness…the more that we will learn about resting in him. God calls us to be still and know that he is God. Worry and anxiety are indicators of our unwillingness to entrust our cares to God. Read through the Psalm and really process what the writer is saying.

In the craziness of this holiday season it will be very easy to stay in perpetual motion without ever stopping. Remember to be still and know that he is God. Remember to stop and worship him. Remember to take time daily to really focus on the fact that God exists and that he holds the universe in the palms of his hands. I believe that if we will do this we will find our lives better for it.