For Heaven’s Sake, Just Sit Still!

Psalm 46:6-11

“Sit Still!” My mom commanded as I wriggled in the chair. I had been begging her to French braid my hair for weeks, but it was taking too long and my head hurt. After all my begging, I decided it wasn’t worth the pain. But I had gotten what I asked for and couldn’t take it back, so I squirmed.

Now, I find myself repeating this command to my own children. I issue this command for many reasons: when I needed to get them into their car seats, when their hands wandered too close to a hot glue gun or when their fingers wiggle during a nail clipping. However, occasionally I issue this command when my children need to know who is in charge.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” This is not a request or an appeal for obedience. It is a command. When I struggle with trusting God, when I think He is taking too long to answer a prayer, when I think that change isn’t worth the pain, I often hear God’s command to “BE STILL.”

The sovereignty of God is just a fancy word for being still and knowing that He is God. The rest of the verse says, “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” When we are able to be still in God’s presence, He can show us wondrous things. When I finally sit still, I am comforted in knowing that He is God and I am not.

When you are tempted to wriggle under God’s authority, remember that He is God and for heaven’s sake, just sit still!