When hardships discourage us and we want to escape, God offers us rest in His presence and power.
PSALM 46:1-111 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;3 Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High.5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.6 The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted.7 The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has wrought desolations in the earth.9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire.10 Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
“I’m out of here!” Most of us will feel like crying out this way at some point in life. When a demanding circumstance feels overwhelming, or when the pressure of the daily routine seems unbearable, a common reaction is the desire to escape. Whether the stress is related to a job, relationship, or other situation that seems too hard to handle, we want relief. So we decide we are walking out. Moving on. Heading for anywhere but where we are now.
The Father has a powerful truth for us: The way to handle stressful situations is to cease fighting against them and instead be at rest. To the psalmist, this meant being still and knowing God is truly God (Psalm 46:10) . Jesus promises peace in the midst of trials when we let go of troubles and entrust them to His care. (See Matt. 11:28-30; John 16:33.) So, while human instinct clamors for escape, God calls us to draw near to Him. Then we can discover calmness of spirit as we absorb the truth of His Word.
Most of all, the Lord wants us to know who He is. As we believe the truth of His sovereignty (1 Chronicles 29:11) and accept both the absolute goodness of His plans (Jer. 29:11) and His deep, abiding love for us (Eph. 3:17-19), we will grow in our trust of Him. Then we will find it easier to be still and truly know He is God.
Our stress need not become distress. The better we understand our heavenly Father, the more we’ll be able to walk through circumstances with calmness (Phil. 4:7) and confidence (Jer. 17:7) This is our privilege as God’s children.
In Touch Ministries