Be Still & Know

And the real truth begins here... God is really challenging me in this season to be still and know that He is God! I recognize and understand the God part, because there is no denying that he is God...that is an indisputable fact right there. There is no God but God...Jehovah! However, it is the being still that I struggle with. To be honest, I like to be "in the know", I like details! What woman doesn't? I have this desire to be in control and to control oftentimes than most, and sometimes that desire goes overboard but I don't mean any harm, but somehow the harm is already done because of my great zeal and passion to see things go the way, I planned! Yes, I must admit that I have my own plans and I want what I want, when I want it...but, alas, real life comes flooding in and we don't always get what we want, when we want it and how we want it. We don't get to know the what's and how's of what God is,doing in our lives and the truth is...he does not have to tell us. The not telling is the hardest part for me, he can at least throw out a hint, or give me a glimpse of the future. Sometimes he does and sometimes he don't. It is in those times of great strategic and life altering decisions God usually holds his peace. It is in these moments we have to be still and know that God is God. I suffered a breakup recently and going through the turmoil and heartache of it all. I prayed beforehand, during and after...Yes, I took it to God, I plead the blood, I forgiven, I confessed, I attempted to right wrongs and fix what I thought was broken, but then I came faced to face with another failed relationship. It is funny how this relationship was one of the worst and one of my best relationships at the same time. I saw how God used certain moments to teach me, to challenge me in my faith. But there was one thing that I must admit that I did not do as he commanded me to do, and that is to Be Still & Know! I just could not allow myself to be still, I could not allow myself to trust in the supremacy and the providence of God. I had to help him fix it, I had to do something about something, and something about nothing. I had to speak when he said to be silent, because that is my nature. I had to confront when he said to release and let it go. I was everything but Still!  So, I must admit my failure to trust God to be God. I learned a hard lesson this time around. Now, what am really trying to say in all my pontification, is that the best of us as Christians and believers have our share of test and battles and although we are bible-believing, prayer and worship warriors, we all have our our flaws and weakness that God is trying to perfect his work in us. We are often transformed and changed by the greatest of our challenges and mistakes. I believe, what God is doing in us is to build us in our faith and to challenge us to trust in Him completely. I read this from a blog recently by John J. Parsons, so I extracted from his writings, which I believe sums up what I am trying to say. I share the except below: "AS THE CLIMAX of Psalm 46, this verse is not so much about meditation as it is about the mediation of God's kingdom in the heart of faith. The command to "be still" comes from the Hiphil stem of the verb (רפה) rapha (meaning to be weak, to let go, to release), which might better be translated as, "cause yourselves to let go" or "let yourselves become weak" (in poetic contexts, the noun form rephai'im was sometimes used as a synonym for "the place of the dead"). But to what end are we to "be still," "let go," "surrender," and even to "die to ourselves"? In Hebrew grammar, the emphasis of coordinate imperatives ("be still!" and "know!") is on the second imperative. In other words, we surrender in order to know that God is in control as Ribbono Shel Olam – the Master of the Universe. We "let go" in order to objectively know the saving power of God in our lives. We give up trusting in ourselves and our own designs in order to experience the glory of God's all-sufficiency (Ex 14:14)." To Be Still and Know is to our benefit... It is for us to let go, and release those things that we know we can't handle and our not what we are called to bear. Here's a newsflash for us...We are not carriers and fixers! I just took a breath on that statement! (That is a release for me, right there).  We have a God that we can depend on and cast all our cares upon.  I don't know what each of you, who may have read this blog have experienced this year or the last few years. I know for the last several years, I had been tested in many areas and these years were the hardest for me, if I were to be honest. Although, I had the moments of crying out, reeling with pain and battling my fears, God was there through it all, even though I thought he was not or  I assumed he was standing off somewhere faintly in the distance. He lent his presence to me and spoke to me in his own still way. He was challenging me to Be Still and Know!  It is in the knowing that God is God, and that he will do exactly what he promised that he will do according to His word. His word shall not return void and His promises concerning you and I would come to fulfillment. Finally, in the midst of our stillness is where we have to exercise our faith. When it does not look right, when all hell breaks loose and it seems that the battles just won't quit. We then have to remember what 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, For we walk by faith, not by sight. I pray that in all of the changing scenes of life, you would hear His word clearly speaking in your Spirit...Be Still and Know that I am God...and know that he has you! Unveiled to Be Transformed -Keisha