Daily Devotional

When we lived in Minnesota, I would regularly make the 2-hour drive down I-94 from Brainerd to Minneapolis. And there it was, right along the highway, a billboard with the words, “Be still and know that I am God,” That’s a dirty trick, putting that verse next to a busy interstate with tons of stressed-out people driving their cars. I thought “Did my wife put someone up to that, knowing I’m an impatient driver and hate traffic?”

Then once I came to my senses I realized, what a great reminder. Along a busy highway loaded with people coming from somewhere, going somewhere. Maybe running late; maybe tired. Maybe stressed out about something at home or work. What a great verse to put out there for everyone to read, “Be still and know that I am God.”

Most of us have probably heard this verse. And maybe we read it without thinking and say, “I know I need to be still…” And then move on. But what if we took a few minutes to really think about what this verse means, and how we can live it? I mean How can I ‘be still’?

As a Dad, when my kids are flying around, playing games, being loud, and I have something important to tell them, I’d have to yell, “BE QUIET…I’ve got something important to say…you have to listen to me.” Well, the same is true of our heavenly Father. He has something important to say to you, so He says “Be still…” But being still is not as easy as it looks. And for the Christian, it should be a part of every single day.

So I want to give you a few ways you can be still and know that God is God.

Plan a quiet time. 
Our days get so busy. Emails piling up in our inbox. Our phone dinging with a new text or buzzing with a call coming in. And have you ever looked around a crowded room and seen what everybody’s doing? They’re all on their phones.

Set aside some quiet time every day. Set aside your phone, ignore your emails, and just be still. Open your Bible and listen to God.

Do it each day.
Someone once said, “It takes 40 days to start a new habit.” So if you have a quiet time at the same time each day for 40 days straight, it will be a habit. If you took a break on day 41, you’d miss it.

My wife and I have breakfast together each morning. We’re not on our phones (much). We sit across the table from each other and talk. And occasionally we say nothing. We’ve been married 31 years, so there is comfort in the silence. Let’s seek that comfort in our relationship with Christ. Set that quiet time each day and stick with it. It will bring joy to your life as you are still before our Lord.

Decide on a consistent place.
My quiet time is right away in the morning. I sit at my desk, open my Bible, and read the verses for that day. Then I take time to be quiet. There is not a set amount of time, but it should be long enough that you can really meditate on Scripture, pray for things God brings to mind, and let Him speak to you.

When you are in a consistent place each day, it becomes your ‘special place’ to meet with God. You don’t bring your phone. You don’t turn on music. You sit still before the Lord and think about who He is.

Quiet your thoughts.
Sometimes it’s noisier in our heads than it is outside. We think about all the things we have to do that day. We let ourselves get stressed about upcoming meetings or challenging tasks. When your thoughts start to race, pray “God help me to set aside the thoughts of today and spend this time in quietness before you.” And He will do it. And then trust those worries to God.

Read a verse from Psalms. 
Just one verse. Start with Psalm 34:1 “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Break down this verse word by word. Think about what it means to ‘bless’ the Lord. And how does that differ from ‘praise’? What does it mean that ‘his praise shall continually be in my mouth’? Let yourself pray the verse. Let it sink in. Ask the Lord to help you with it. He will. Just take time to quiet your heart and let God’s Word wash over you.

You might think, “I don’t have time for this…every moment of every day is spoken for.” But I want to challenge you…find a time and be still before God for forty days straight, and you’ll be surprised at how much more time you’ll have. Why? Because being still helps you prioritize the things that are most important in your life. God will honor your time in quietness before Him.

So the billboard on the side of 1-94 in Minneapolis telling me to “Be still and know that God is God” meant a ton to me. It helped me to cast my cares upon Him. It helped me to quiet the stress I was feeling trying to get to my meeting. I just prayed that God would help me to be still before Him, and know that He is God. Help me to know that He’s got it. I just need to trust Him.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.