Read: Psalm 46
Be still, and know that I am God. (v. 10)
Natural disasters are scary. Destroyed homes, loss of life, and the chaos of displacement—experiencing it ourselves is devastating, but even seeing images in the news and on social media can leave us feeling vulnerable, helpless, angry, and grief-stricken in search of safety and reassurance. So, what can we do when things get out of control? Here, God asks us to do an incredibly tough thing: he tells us to “be still” (v. 10).
In difficult times, our tendency might be to try to manipulate outcomes or blot out fear through action. But instead, God calls us to do nothing. In translating the original language, to “be still” means to “sink.” Ironically enough, we are not sinking beneath the crushing waves of despair. Instead, we sink into the comforting arms and protection of God. He is not only with us but becomes our safe place right where we are. However out of control a situation might feel, God’s all-powerful hand is at work, and he remains our “refuge and strength” in times of trouble (v. 1).
Our faith empowers us to run to God when we’re in peril, and he will be there for us. And that’s because he’s “a very present help in trouble” (v. 1). So, even if disaster takes shape around us—we can be still, we can understand we cannot control the situation, and we can feel the strength and the help of our God who is our refuge in times of distress—always.
As you pray, ask God to help you sink into safety and rest in him.
About the Author
Ariana D. Den Bleyker is a Pittsburgh native currently residing in New York’s Hudson Valley. She is the author of two devotional poetry collections,To Be Held by the LightandWaking in the Light. She is an ordained deacon in the Reformed Church of America.
