For those of you that have children, let me say that hats are off to you. I do not have children of my own but my niece and I are very close. She’s a teenager now and I’ve been fortunate to always be part of every stage of her life. Sometimes her mother would tell her not to do something or that something’s not a good idea, but it was just a statement or response to a situation. There were those times, though, she had to be firm. Especially during toddler years. My niece would go to do something she wasn’t supposed to do and my sister-in-law would say, “Stop!” This was usually when safety was involved. It was vital to get the point across at that very moment. When someone who loves you has to get your attention, sometimes it’s necessary to speak with absolute authority. We’re usually so caught up in what we’re doing that we just can’t seem to “hear” them. They’re looking out for our best interest and we’re going through the motions, not always exactly sure where we’re going. 

This is a scripture we’ve all read or heard so many times. The Lord allowed me to see it a little differently the other day. “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬) I’ve always looked at this as “slow down, take a breath and consult with Me”.  And yes, it definitely is that. But, I noticed the exclamation point after “I am God”. It hit me that The Lord is speaking to us as a loving Father who is concerned about His children. It’s like He’s pleading with us to stop the unnecessary striving and remember who the parent is and that it IS HIM. He then goes on to tell us that every nation on this earth will honor Him. This is no ordinary individual. This IS Almighty God. A lot of the time, we’re spinning our wheels in a situation and we forget who we belong to. It’s as if someway, somehow we can make this thing or situation we’re in work. We get frazzled. We consult friends. We lose sleep. Finally, The Lord says “Stop!” It’s like my sister-in-law with the toddler. He’s beckoning us to Him. He has the answer. He IS the answer. We have to stop all of the turmoil and focus our attention on Him. This literally stills our souls. That’s the point of the stillness. Cease all the work and put your concerns in capable hands. 

There’s something about calming ourselves as far as our emotions are concerned. When you’re out of sorts, you can’t make quality decisions anyway. You certainly can’t hear The Lord in all of the chaos. The Prophet, Elijah, had a lot going on in his mind. He was emotionally drained and not thinking very clearly. The Lord needed to communicate with him to give directions. He had to get Elijah to a place of stillness. “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.” (‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT)‬‬ The Lord doesn’t want to compete with our surroundings. He wants to surround us. He wants to be our focus. 

Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬) This comes from spending time with Him and learning to recognize how He speaks to you. His gentle whisper can trump hurricane force winds in your life. Things will go much smoother when Jesus is directing your steps. But you have to hear His directions. The stillness is necessary. You’ll walk with purpose. You’ll be dialed in to what He has for you. You’ll walk in His protection because you’re listening for Him. Life will make more sense and you’ll be more at peace. This happens not because you’re working or thinking harder. This life of ease is found in the stillness.

Today’s writer is Brandi Crowe. A hairdresser for over 25 years, she is currently the owner of Brandi Crowe salon in Buford, GA. She loves hiking, a good cup of coffee, and spending time with family and friends. Brandi lives in a custom farmhouse with her husband Robby and cat Harold.