Devotionals for the Heart: Stillness

Be Still
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

“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) 

“Be still...”

I heard the words but knew I was alone. I opened my eyes and scanned the empty room as I lay on the ER gurney with wires tethered all around my heart and a pulse finger oximeter strapped to my pointer finger. I felt my heart flutter and drop, as it had been doing for the past couple of nights. I waited but no one came through the door, so I closed my eyes again, trying to keep my pulse low. Something irregular was happening at home, mostly while I slept, and I wanted proof for the doctors to see because something felt off inside my heart.

“Be still and know...”

This time I heard the phrase in my head, but it was in a voice I recognized. God was speaking and now He had my full and undivided attention. “Yes, Lord, I’m listening,” I said and pictured Jesus Christ standing beside me. Then I felt a warmth, though moments earlier I had covered up with a blanket to block the room’s chill. I knew beyond any doubt He was in the room with me.

How did I know? How could I be sure what I sensed was really God? Because of over forty years of tested faith and coming through impossible trials. Just like the old hymn "‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus" says, God had proven Himself to me over and over. In my current trial, He was reminding me all I had to do was “Be still and know.”

We all face situations when we don’t know. We immediately question what we should say or do. It’s hard to wait before acting or reacting because of our innate desire to know, especially when we feel vulnerable or uncomfortable. There are times when all we can answer is, “I don’t know.” These are the moments we choose to be the most truthful, and they provide opportunities for us to wholly trust God.

Not long ago I had a dear friend whose husband tragically died. I didn’t know what to say or do when I saw her for the first time after the loss, but I knew she needed something from me. I prayed God would show me what to do or say while she grieved in front of me. I sat and listened to her talk about anything and everything, waited and listened, and waited some more. Later, I simply sat nearby as she slept, even during the middle of the day. In the stillness I found my own comfort and peace. I felt God’s presence and songs of worship and praise came into my mind. The song called “Everlasting God” by Chris Tomlin reminded me that when I wait upon God, His strength will rise in me. God gave me the strength to simply be present—to be still—as I sought how to help my friend. I didn’t need to have the answers to her grief. 

In the same way, as I was laid up in a hospital room for over six hours while they ran tests on my heart, it felt like a mere few hours because I heeded His words to “Be still.” While I waited upon the Lord, I felt His love and peace flow over me once again. I rested, assured He was in control of the outcome because I relinquished my need to know what was going on to Him. All that mattered was my willingness and obedience to “be still” and submit to His will for me to know “He is God” – the one who will be exalted among the nations and in the earth!

What a peace it is to know the ruler of all things holds my heart securely in His hands!

Let's Pray: Dear God, thank you for always being with me in every situation, even when I am unsure of myself. Help me to be still and know you are God, acknowledging you are greater than my circumstances. Through your son, Jesus, you overcame the world and I know that same power will help me. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Question from Mirachelle: 

In what situations have you learned to “Be still”? Tell us about it in the comments section!

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Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter, and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia, where she teaches television production at her high school alma mater. 

She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is an alumnus of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program.

Mirachelle is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, American Fiction Writers Virginia Chapter, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint.

She is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII.

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Connect with Mirachelle:
Website: www.mirachellecanada.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirachellecanada/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/miracan