Be Still – Psalm 46
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The God of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.” Ps 46:10,11
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear; even though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;” Ps 46:1,2
When there are troubles so big that the earth is shaken and the mountains collapse, God tells us to be still and know that He is God. To be still is not to fret, but to be quiet by calming yourself before an almighty God. He is a mighty king, and Lord overall. He is exalted among the nations and on the earth. When you focus on how big your God is, your troubles become smaller in comparison.
Job had troubles, lots of them. When Job questioned God as to why he was being hit so hard by Him, he never got an answer. All that God said to him in so many chapters was ‘look at who I am, and that is enough for you to know’.
You don’t have to know why things happen, just know that He is there, and He loves you. You can trust Him because you are His child, and He is your father. You trust in His goodness, His promises, His character and His power to do good, not because you understand why He does things, but because you know who He is. That power can turn even seeming disasters into victories in light of eternity. He is the only one who can turn even ashes into beauty. God is going somewhere with your story in view of His glory filling the earth.
This is our God:
“to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness.” Is 61:3
That is why you run to Him, who gave you the trial and not away. It is similar to a child running into the strong arms of a beloved father, and just knowing that everything will be ok. If you hold back because you consider Him too dangerous, you will be hit twice, once by the trial and second by pulling yourself away from the only one who can truly help you. Your times are in His hands. If God wasn’t good, this would be scary but since His love is perfect, He will give perfect peace to those who trust Him because peace goes along with trust.
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah, the lord, is everlasting strength.” Is 26:3,4