Active Stillness

by Greg Grotewold

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10, ESV)

In an age where we are incessantly targeted for demands on our time, it’s easy to read this verse and release a long sigh. How can we possibly afford to be still when the world around us requires that we be in constant motion? Life is so busy that many struggle just to make it through the day without losing their sanity. I look at how hard my wife and I run during the course of the week and can understand the level of anxiousness many Christians carry as they scurry from one obligation to the next.

One of the first casualties of this war on time is intimacy with God. While our visceral reaction to the psalmist may be one of exasperation, we know deep down we can’t afford not to be still. To do so would only invite more anxiousness and an ever-escalating guilt. And yet, we don’t jump off the hamster wheel; in fact, we run faster.

Psalm 46:10 was written, it is thought, in the context of great calamity for Jerusalem and the people of God. In the midst of this great turmoil, Israel needed to stop and contemplate the power of the God they worship. They needed to be reminded of two things: one, God will ultimately prevail; and two, there is great safety under His protective wing. There was no need to fret.

The Lord has the exact same message for us today. In our calamity, however we choose to define it, we, too, need to be still and contemplate His sovereign presence. We need to stop and, if you will, reacquaint ourselves with the glorious attributes of our Creator. We need Him to remind us of His great care. We need Him to remind us of His unending, never-changing love. We need Him to remind us that He is superintending every hour of our day. He is in control, and we need not fret. The Lord, and those who He has called, will be victorious in the end.

When we go to this well of boundless grace and drink our fill of His wonders, we will be refreshed. We will gain 26 // January 2023

not only perspective on our obligations but also a peace as we go about fulfilling such obligations. This peace will allow us to more consistently display Christ to those whose paths we cross throughout the day.

Go daily, go hourly, go minute-by-minute if necessary. But go. Well drinking won’t just fall into our lap. It takes great action to be still. It takes real intentionality to carve out

time daily to stop and let the Lord minister to us. It takes real intentionality to say “no” to the demands of loved ones for ten minutes in the morning so we can quicken our hearts before God. It takes real intentionality to let the dirty dishes sit in the sink overnight so that we can surrender the day’s concerns to Him before bedtime. It takes real intentionality to pull over—literally if need be—and petition the Lord for help as we are about to face a particular adversity.

The world won’t come to a crashing halt while we take the time to be still. In fact, it is one of the most unselfish things we can do for those that depend upon us. A refreshed Christian is a mercy and grace-filled Christian.

Be still and be emboldened by the supreme glory of your God.

About The Author Greg Grotewold lives in Oakdale, MN, with his wife, Sandi, and their two sons, Luke and Eli. He is a deacon in his local church and greatly enjoys serving in this capacity.