Be Still and Listen

It's been almost three years since my husband passed away. Three years of tears, prayers, hope, changes, and seeking. The tears are not as frequent now, but they still come. Prayers have been answered, and God has breathed new hope into my life. There have also been many changes. Moving twice, changing positions at my job, and now starting something brand new with Parks Creative Works. I can see God's hand in every stage, but I also see how I tried to figure out and control so many things. When you go through something like this, where the entire dynamic of your life shifts in such a radical way, it can leave you feeling overwhelmed and questioning what's next. This can sometimes lead to you making impulsive or unwise decisions. I tried so hard to prove that I could do things on my own, but the Lord had to humble me and showed me that He was taking care of me, and He had something else in mind. It was the times that I stepped back and said, "Lord, have your way", that He would step in and work things out better than I could have imagined.

If you find yourself trying to figure everything out and thinking you have to do everything on your own, then I would encourage you to let go. Let go and see what God will do. I know, that's easier said than done, but God wants you to trust Him. Psalm 46 teaches us that God is our fortress. He is the one who fights for us. He is our refuge. He is our strength. In verse 10 we are told to "Be still, and know that I am God." What does that mean to be still? It means to sit with the Lord and meditate on His word. It means to stop striving and trying to figure out everything on our own and listen to Him. It means to be intentional about spending time with Him and sitting with Him. That's hard for many of us to do. It seems we are either running from one thing to another, or we zone out and mindlessly scroll through social media. How often do we set everything aside and say, "Lord, here I am. Draw me to yourself and teach me your ways. I long to know you better!" This has been the cry of my heart lately. The things of this world still creep up and seek to pull me away, but the desire to know Him better helps me be more intentional in spending time with Him, just listening and learning to quiet my heart before Him.

Are you struggling with being still before the Lord and being intentional with spending that one-on-one time with Him? It may not be easy, but I encourage you to make your time with Him a priority. He will meet you there and He promises that if you seek Him, you will find Him, if you search for Him with all of your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

Dear Lord,

Please be with my dear friend. Open their hearts to your love for them. May they come and sit with you, quieting their hearts before you. May they hear your still small voice speaking to them and may they come to know you better. Thank you for each precious soul reading this today. May they be strengthened and encouraged, knowing that you are their refuge, and they can find true rest for their weary souls in You.

In the name of your precious son, Jesus

Amen

Have a blessed week and I look forward to meeting you here next week!

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.