Sometimes my life seems fractured in chaos like a huge jigsaw puzzle in God's hands. To me all looks like a pile of broken dreams and mess. But the Master sees where the pieces go. He shows me where to fit these pieces together and His peace fills my life. Amazing grace!
In Psalm 46:10 God tells me to "be still" and know that He is God. The literal translation from Hebrew for "be still" means: to put your hands down to the side; to relax. I see that as I exhale, I relax my neck and shoulders; naturally my arms will calmly lie by my side. Then my face will relax and a smile will fill my face as I delight in knowing that God is in control.
In the middle of confusion or frightening seasons of my life knowing how to "be still" doesn't come naturally for me. Recently I sat with a friend who just got her pick slip. I listened to her for a long time, and finally I saw her "being still," knowing that somehow, someway God is putting her pieces together. We even worked out a plan of action for the upcoming week.
My nature is to try to quickly get the pieces together and I want to work on all the puzzle pieces at once. But God doesn'r work in my life in a forced frantic manner. He calls me to step back, pause and “Be still, and know.”
I tend to want to give into my feeings; not what I know when life is a confusing puzzle. I can swing from anxiety to self pity in seconds. Jesus modeled a Christian quality of relaxed knowing, no matter what was going on around or to Him. Like Jesus, I must focus on knowing that God is all powerful; He loves me; He is not confused; He knows my end from my beginning and I can trust and obey Him and have peace.
I can take a deep breath, exhale and relax:
God knows where all the pieces go!
4 comments:
Hi Kay..
Puzzles do teach us alot as we try to put each piece together..for me it is patience lol..so often I want to hurry up and see it all put together, but as we know we have to find the right pieces that fit together and sometimes I find myself trying to fit a piece where it just does not belong lol. Just as the Lord shows us there are things in life we want to happen, but God has other plans. Being still and knowing he is God is where the waiting, patience, and trust, all fit together just as the pieces of a puzzle do and unfolds revealing a beautiful picture.
Hugz Lorie
Lorie, I loved your comments. From visitng your blog I know that you have real life experience to back your words on being still while God is showing where each piece in your life fits His plan.
Love you sister....so much. Thanks for your wisdom here at Thrive Christians. You have much to tell us to Thrive in Christ!!!
Great words here today Kay! Really enjoyed it. My life can be a jumbled puzzle mess, but God knows where each piece goes, so if I can just be still and listen, I can learn. "JUST" be still. *Sigh*
Generally, I don't comment on "comments" here at Thrive Christians but today I'm moved so much by your reactions I just must speak.
Kelly, when I saw the puzzle analogy and the play on words: peace ... pieces .... puzzle; and then the fuller explanation of the Hebrew understanding of "be still" I had my own "sigh."
I loved this part of your comment: "sigh." Oh, that I could learn to step back, pause and sigh before I have my little panic routine!
Thank you during this busy time of year for taking time to read these thoughts on this blog. To any of you reading know that I am praying for the Prince of Peace to bless you with His presence: where He is there is always peace.
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