Be Still

For most of his life, my dad was a pilot. Because of his occupation, I spent a good deal of time in my growing up years at the airport. One of my favorite activities was “people watching” …taking in the hustle and the bustle, studying travelers as they hurried by or lingered about waiting. Each person with their own unique story and purpose, on their way to some unnamed destination. I learned quite a lot about people and human nature through all of my observations, but what I enjoyed most, probably more than the “people watching”, was the time to just be quiet…the time to sit and take things in.

Truthfully, I am most content when I am quiet. I do not often feel the need to speak, other than when I am compelled by social situations or basic communications…once in a while I get the itch to share something but most of the time I am happy to be blissfully still and at rest. And though being quiet comes naturally a good deal of the time, there are occasions when it does not, and I think these are the times— when my soul is not at rest and I feel the need to act or to speak—that God is calling me to be still, when it is not easy, when circumstances are difficult. Take a look:

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.” Psalm 37:7 “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today…The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.’” Exodus 14:13-14 “He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Psalm 46:10-11

Today, God may be calling you to be still in the midst of your circumstance, perhaps to even be quiet. If so, obey and rest, and trust Him to work on your behalf.

–Katie Botello