BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD

Written by Amy Stahl- a devotion given at a ladies meeting in July 2013.

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” When Mrs. Woodfield asked me to speak she asked me to speak on the first part of this verse,  "BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD." Without going into a lot of details these last few months have been a time in my life when this verse has had a lot of meaning for me.

I turned 30 in May. When I was in my early 20’s I thought I would be married and have a few kids by the time I was 30. Well meaning people often say things like,  “You don’t’ have a boyfriend?” “Such a sweet girl like you, we’ll have to find someone for you.” My reply is, “I would rather be single the rest of my life than marry the wrong one.”

To me being “be still” means being content where God has me now. Everyone’s life is different. Everyone is in a different season of their life. My season is being single. Ecclesiastes 3:1, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” 

I wrote out an acrostic for “Be Still”:

Be content with where God has you now

Ernestly pray for God’s guidance

Stay close to God 

Trust

I myself and no one else but God

Listen to what God wants you to do

Live it!

Be content with where God has you now.

• When we were visiting my grandmother in Michigan after Christmas there was a lot going on in my life. Mom and I were sitting in the kitchen one night, talking and I said, “I think this is my be still and know that I am God time in my life.” As we were talking one of my friends, who knew what was happening in my life, texted me to see how I was doing. Sometimes it is so hard to keep a text message short. I asked mom, “How do I answer that in a text message?” Mom said, “I guess you could say that we are in the, ‘Be still and know that I am God time again.’ “ 
•  I Thessalonians 5:18 “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

  Ernestly pray for God’s guidance.

•  Psalm 57:2 “I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.”
• Psalm 71:1 “In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion.”

Stay close to God.

• Daily devotions- Psalm 119:105  “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”
• Bible memorization- Psalm 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee."
• Keep short accounts- make sure when you sin that you confess it and get it right.
• Daily prayer time:

~ Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication   with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” 

~     I Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”

~   Psalms 55;17 “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud, and he  shall hear my voice.”

• Show my prayer journal- Photo album type thing with space for a picture and then a pocket with prayer needs.

 Trust

• Proverbs 3:5, 6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.”
• Trust  that what God allows to come into your life has a purpose.

 I myself and no one else but God!

• If you are married you should be making decisions with your husband’s input.
• If you are older and single it is still a good idea to get your parents advice.
• When we need to make a decision about something we should be reading our Bible and praying and asking God for wisdom and seeking Godly council.
• Ultimately in the end our decision needs to be made between us and God with our spiritual authority.
• There are a lot of well meaning people in the world who mean well but can take our focus off God and what he really wants for our life and lead us the wrong way.

 Listen to what God wants you to do and do it.

• We need to remember that God has a perfect plan for our life. He will help us do what he wants us to do.
• Sometimes in order to do what God wants us to do we have to step outside our comfort zone. Doing the devotion tonight is stepping way outside my comfort zone but I knew God wanted me to do it.
• Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things thru Christ which strengthened me.”

Live it!

• When we are doing what God wants us to do he blesses us.
• Psalm 68:19 “Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits.”
• Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. The evidence of things not seen.”
• Hebrews 11, the great faith chapter, shows us many people that stepped out in faith. Their lives would have been totally different if they had not stepped out in faith and done what God wanted them to do.

Am I always content? Absolutely not. It’s not always easy BUT I know I am supposed to be and that is my goal.