Have you ever been told to “be still?” I can imagine some of you are reflecting on the times in school or when your parents told you to “sit still” or to be quiet. Would you be surprised to know that God has also instructed His children to “be still?”
In the New King James Version, “be” and “still” occur over one hundred times in forty-one verses, including seven exact phrases. Whenever I find these types of references and occurrences, I love to dive deeper as I believe that God wants us to pay attention and learn from what He is trying to teach us.
Let’s look at the seven scriptures below and see if we can learn what God is trying to teach us about how to “be still.”
Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Mark 4:39 – “Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”
Jeremiah 47:6 – “O you sword of the Lord, How long until you are quiet? Put yourself up into your scabbard, Rest and be still!”
Proverbs 9:9 – “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.”
Psalm 4:4 – “Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.”
Nehemiah 8:11– “So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.”
Isaiah 23:2 – “Be still, you inhabitants of the coastland, You merchants of Sidon, Whom those who cross the sea have filled.”
When you are quiet or still, it is possible to hear God better. I know this is true for myself. When you are busy, it keeps you from hearing from God and gaining understanding and knowledge. Being still and quiet is more than just shutting off the TV; it is about meditating and reflecting on God’s Word. Being still helps increase your awareness of God and what is happening around you. It is a conscious decision you make to block out the noise of the world and turn your focus and attention on the Lord. Recently, a friend shared that, to her, the acronym BUSY means, “being under satan’s yoke!” I think that is a great description of what it is like to be busy and stressed.
When you are still and focused on the Lord, you can relax and trust in Him. Being still enables you to remember and reflect on the goodness of God and what He has done in your life—how He helped you out of a jam, healed your body, prospered you during a difficult time, or set you free from the bondage of sin.
In Mark 4:39, Jesus was at peace and spoke peace to the storm. If you don’t allow the storm to get inside of you, then you can calm it. But if the storm gets on the inside of you, you will be unsuccessful. The disciples in the midst of the storm, weren’t at peace so they couldn’t command peace. You can’t release what you don’t have. Jesus was so much at peace that He was asleep in the storm. As believers, you have this same peace, God’s peace, living on the inside, as revealed in the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).
The first step to stop the storms you may find yourself in is to always be at peace. If Jesus would have only rebuked the wind, then it would have taken time for the sea to calm down naturally. But He spoke peace to the sea. When you rebuke sickness, you will also need to speak supernatural healing to your body. Pain and your body each have a voice and if you are struggling with pain or symptoms, speak to them and tell them, “Peace and be still,” just like Jesus did!
~Donna Jones