by: Jamie Wilbanks
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Psalm 46:10
Be still? What does that mean? Believe me, as someone who most likely has had a mild form of ADHD my entire life, it’s hard! If you know me, you know I’m a 100 percent ball of energy and queen of checklists, getting things done, and doing them quickly and efficiently. We don’t know how to “be still” in this world, and I’m the guiltiest of this.
But perhaps at this moment in history, God has given us an opportunity. Maybe He is giving us a chance to slow down. To enjoy our families. To strip away all the extra activities of life and spend time with Him. Time for unrushed quiet times with God. Time for family devotionals. Time to worship at home, even in an awkward online setting. Time to be, think, pray, read, and be still. (Well, that is unless you have small kids at home, then you may have “a zombie apocalypse,” as one of my friends who is mom to four little ones calls it).
Maybe during this weird time in the world, you have had the thought: “What is my purpose in this life?” As followers of Jesus, our purpose is much simpler than we sometimes like to make it. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do all to the glory of God.” And this includes how you live your daily life. How can we glorify our Heavenly Father during this strange season?
We certainly have less of the time inhibitors that typically fuel our daily excuses. We can spend time with God. Spend time pouring into our families. Spend time serving others (even a phone call, or dropping off a small gift to a neighbor or friend—and yes, I do know they may Clorox wipe it once they find it at their doorstep). Spend time spreading positive messages instead of the chaos that the whole world is experiencing. If you post on social media, share encouraging stories of our medical workers, grocery store clerks, UPS delivery people, public servants, all those who don’t have the advantage of staying home in social distancing. Share your favorite scriptures and why you love them.
Spend time in God’s creation. If you can, take a walk and observe what the Lord has made. It gives life and peace. Psalm 104:24 says, “How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” Notice the simple things like spring flowers blooming, the bee (annoyingly!) spreading pollen, the crystal-clear sky, the sunrise, or the sunset. Write down scriptures that talk about the glory of creation. Give God praise for the beauty you see. Or make a list of all you are thankful for in your life and read it aloud.
Being still and focusing on God (instead of ourselves) helps us fight the daily anxiety this bizarre time brings. As a result, we strengthen our faith in God and His Word, believe He is with us and will never leave us, and know He is faithful in all His promises. “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him” (Psalm 28:7).
Be still, and give glory to your Father in Heaven. There’s nothing that fulfills or gives more peace. Charles Spurgeon said, “Nothing teaches us about the preciousness of the Creator as much as when we learn the emptiness of everything else.”