Devotionals for the Heart: God invites us to be still, quiet and listen to Him

Be Still
A devotional by Colette Christopher

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”—Psalms 46:10 (NLT)

Life on this Earth can be incredibly noisy.

There’s so much happening around us, competing for our attention seemingly from minute to minute. There seems to be no end to the demands for our attention. And it is in those moments God is calling us to come away and be still in His presence.

Earlier this year I felt the strong urge to go on a sabbatical, to pull myself away from the noise and the crowd to spend some time with the Lord. I wasn’t quite sure how it would work, with the demands of family, work, and ministry. However, I felt an urgency that this time was needed, and I had to make space, just as I would have to do for anything else. I turned off almost all notifications and disconnected myself from social media. What I needed from God required me to step away from the crowd and to step into His presence, alone and uninterrupted.

Merriam Webster Dictionary defines “stillness” as “freedom from agitation: calmness, serenity”. This definition sums up exactly what I needed. I can recall the first day of this journey and the feeling in that moment of the Holy Spirit with arms open wide saying, “I have been waiting for you.” I felt such joy and love in God’s Presence! I was so excited to see where the remaining days would take me.

Can I tell you something? Being still in God’s Presence is an act of surrender and surrender is holy. We can have so many voices giving their thoughts and opinions that we sometimes don’t know where our thoughts stop and where theirs begin. It is in those moments that we miss what God is saying to us, confusion, doubt and fear steps in when there is a lack of the clear voice of our Heavenly Father.

To be still before God is a choice and it was a decision that I learned to make in my journey through this life on Earth. Each of us have to make that choice on our own because no one else can make for us. My friend, it's a choice worth making!

What are you struggling with that God is calling you to come away from? Do you sense Him inviting you to run to Him and to be still in His presence? Stillness is something that we struggle against because we don’t know how to quiet ourselves and just be. It is in the stillness that we will hear the quiet whispers of God. Read 1 Kings 19:11-13 for a Biblical example of this truth.

To recognize truly who God is happens in the moments that we pause, tune our ears and hearts to Him and choose to listen. In that period of stillness, I heard the Lord speak to me through His words, the quiet prompting of the Holy Spirit and in a still small voice that reminded me that obedience is better than sacrifice.

My friend, I want to encourage you today to choose to be in God’s presence, sitting with no agenda and be willing to not only listen but hear what He is saying to you. This is important to help us make it through our life on Earth.

The Creator of the heavens and the earth, the One who controls the future, who knows what is ahead of us, calls us away to a time with Him that is more beneficial to us than it is for Him. How can you neglect such a call? Our Heavenly Father (God) beckons with open arms, saying, “Come, my child so I can instruct you, comfort you, give you clarity and the directions you need not just for where you are now but for your next.” But how will you know what He wants to say if you will not be still long enough to hear?

I know you may be facing struggles now and perhaps you are saying, “I don’t know how I am going to do this!” You may also be looking for the perfect time to be still before God, but you can’t find it. How about starting with 15 minutes, in quiet time with God? Silence your notifications, sit in His presence with your Bible and journal, open your heart and create the space for Him to meet you. What would it look like? 

Can I tell you? It would look like holy time. It should bring joy to your heart to know that the Eternal King requires your presence and is there waiting on you. Do you require freedom from agitation, calmness and serenity? The only place you and I can receive that is in the stillness of the presence of our Lord.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for your call for us to be still before you. Lord, you know the struggles that we face to still the noise around us. Help us surrender our time to You. Help us desire your presence more than anything else so we can hear your still small voice. Father, I pray today will be the day that my friend will be obedient to your voice. Speak, Lord, as they set their hearts to hear you. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

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Song of Reflection #1: “Be Still and Know” by Steven Curtis Chapman. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Be Still My Soul (In You I Rest)” by Kari Jobe. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Make Room” by Jonathan McReynolds. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “Make Room” by Meredith Andrews (feat. Sarah Reeves & Chris McClarney). Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Colette Christopher is an empowered woman who inspires women to be who they were created to be. Her core message is empowerment. She is an author, certified life coach, podcast host, and trainer with the Maxwell Leadership team. 

Colette believes that an empowered woman empowers others and is powerful in knowing who she is and what she can accomplish. Colette is on a mission to impact the lives of the women assigned to her, whether she is their coach or trainer or shares a word that will transform their lives.

Colette utilizes her Christian principles as the base of all her engagements. She is passionate about fulfilling her life purpose of empowering women to know who they are, rebuild their confidence, and use their voices as tools to uplift themselves and others.

​​She is the founder of the M.E.E. Movement L.L.C., a faith-based empowerment ministry business that helps women of faith rebuild their confidence and use their voice to walk in their purpose through life coaching, mentoring, and empowerment speaking. Colette believes in using the gifts God has given her to help women be who God has called them to be and ultimately fulfill the purpose for which they were created. She lives by Romans 8:28 (NIV), that promises, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

A native of Jamaica, Colette resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is the mother of two beautiful young women, a son-in-love, and two grandsons. Colette enjoys reading, writing, watching good movies, and chatting with her daughters and friends.

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Connect with Colette:
Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2367935
Email: Colettemarieonline@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: God wants us to be still and trust Him to guide us

God Wants Us to Be Still and Trust Him
A devotional by Kelly Patterson

He says, “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 (NIV)

When I received an email last week asking if I could write a devotional for this month, my first thought was, “I am too busy! I just don’t have time.”

I almost replied to decline the opportunity, but I felt a check in my spirit. Too busy? Most everything I write and talk about is stillness and not allowing “busyness” to distract from slowing down and tuning in to God. How can stillness be what God has drawn me to if I can’t do it? And how did I almost get back to this place where I am running on fumes? I said yes because sitting down to write a message feels like hitting a pause button for me. I needed that. We all need pauses.

God brought me to the ministry of stillness years ago. You see, I am an excellent plate spinner. In honest and humble opinion, I excel at multitasking. Therefore, I was shocked when, about 15 years ago, one after another, plates I had so perfectly balanced began to fall and I began to experience failure in certain aspects of my life. People weren’t cooperating with my plans, and it turns out, they really weren’t appreciating my efforts to control them. And when things weren’t going according to my plans, I got mad at people, and then, at God! I remember thinking, "God, I am doing all the things alone, can you help me out a little?" 

Turns out, He didn’t need all of what I was doing. He may have even tipped a few of those plates. How arrogant I was before the first few plates fell. I was saying, in essence, “God, I’ve got this. I’ll call you when I need You.” But it doesn't work that way.

If God really is sovereign and trustworthy, and it is He who controls and directs, I do not need to live my life in a busy spin. When I am functioning correctly, under full submission to Jesus Christ and getting direction from the Holy Spirit, He leads me to quiet waters every time. The storm still swirls around me, but even as I sit here and focus on who God is, He quiets the swirling in my soul. He gives me rest.

I need to do this every day. Stop being driven by the tyranny of the “to-do” list. Stop stomping around as if anyone’s world is dependent on me. I need to give everything to God, trust Him and learn to rest. I can say no to things, so I have space to say yes to the things God is calling me to. I recommend to everyone who feels too busy to pause: Stop and write a devotional or a letter to God. By doing this, you are simply pausing to tune into God and ask Him what He thinks you should do.

We need to remind ourselves who God is and where He sits in our attention. All goes better when our attention is on Him.

Let’s Pray: God, forgive me for rushing into my day, thinking what I need to get done is more important than time with You. Help me quiet my soul and find rest in You. You are also so faithful to encourage my stillness. May I start each day remembering Your Presence so I can be more aware as I go about my day. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Song of Reflection #1: “Be Still and Know” by Steven Curtis Chapman. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Be Still My Soul (In You I Rest)” by Kari Jobe. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Still Waters (Psalm 23)” by Leanna Crawford. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Coming from a Mormon childhood and agnostic belief, Kelly Patterson found Jesus Christ after wrestling with God for many years. 

Kelly has a hunger for the Word and has spent a lifetime following Jesus and going (not always joyfully) where the Holy Spirit leads. It has been a roller coaster, but Jesus has been with her the entire ride. Kelly has a passion for sharing the freedom she found in Jesus with believers and unbelievers alike.

Kelly is a wife, mother of four adult children and has two grandchildren. Kelly still enjoys cultivating intimacy with God, time with family and friends, pickleball and her job at a mental health clinic. Kelly considers life with God an adventure that she loves to share with others.

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Connect with Kelly:
Website: Kellyannpatterson.wordpress.com

Devotionals for the Heart: How to be still and listen for God's whispers

God’s Whisper Always Cuts Through the Chaos
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

He says, “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 (NIV)

Have you ever been to an orchestra concert?

My son plays the viola in an orchestra, so we’ve been to plenty over the years.

Before the concert gets started, everybody’s warming up onstage, and it sounds like a chaos of noise. But then, at last, a single note rings out as the concertmaster plays, and the other string instruments strive to match that note, perfectly in tune. In an instant, chaos becomes order. Soon enough, the conductor onstage lifts his or her hands, and beautiful music begins to soar.

I think of that chaos sometimes when I think of our world. Everybody’s busy doing their own thing and experiencing their own troubles. People are born and they die. Marriages begin and they end. We go about our work and rush around in traffic and weave in and out of our days, and it’s all just . . . noise sometimes. But then a single note rings out, God’s whisper! His beautiful breath of life. And suddenly our ears attune to Him. Our voices become slow and steady, our work stills, and we—along with all creation—turn to honor the One, the Creator, the Alpha and the Omega, the Lord God Almighty.

I imagine that’s how it will be in the end days when the trumpet sounds. I imagine that’s how it was in the Garden of Eden when God spoke the universe into creation. I imagine that’s how it was when Elijah so desperately craved hearing God’s voice in his darkness and finally realized it was there—not in the wind or the earthquake or the raging fire, but in the whisper (1 Kings 19:11-13).

God speaks order into creation quite often. What can we mere human beings do but stop everything and listen? We are so busy and distracted all the time, my friends. All of us that distraction is a tool Satan uses to confuse us and skew our priorities. But we serve a God of order, balance, love, and perfection—not chaos. I imagine that is why Psalm 46:10 (NIV) resonates with so many of us when in that verse, God said, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Be still, all you people. Settle down all your rushing to and fro. Bask in God’s timeless knowledge and merciful peace. We are not God, and we are not gods. But we are oh, so blessed, to belong to Him. May we surrender our hearts, our minds and our souls to him daily—now and forever.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly God, thank You so much for Your calm, true, perfect, and steady presence and love. Help us look to You even the world feels like chaos. Help us remember You are the truth and nothing else matters. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Be Still and Know” by Steven Curtis Chapman. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Speak” by Bethany Music. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach. She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism. 

Her two Christian contemporary novels, The Memory Garden and Tangled Roots, are Amazon bestsellers. Learn more about Jessica’s writing ministry and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com.

She has a YouTube devotional, and you can also connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and more. Jessica also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed.

Devotionals for the Heart: What to do when you're feeling overwhelmed

When the Inbox Overflows
A devotional by Terry Overton

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

—Matthew 11:28 (ESV)

I checked my email before the sun was up. Once again, my inbox is overflowing. It is full of two types of email messages: someone wants something from me, or someone wants me to make time for them to offer something to me. I looked at the list. Some of the unanswered emails were from weeks ago yet still unanswered.

I am in a season where I need support but want to avoid all demands. Have you been there? Life’s noise doesn’t just come from outside; it comes from inside—our thoughts, expectations, guilt, and “shoulds.” Even when we try to rest, our minds often scroll through tasks we haven’t completed. We feel we can’t stop because everything seems urgent.

But Jesus Christ’s invitation in Matthew 11:28 is not about adding another task to your list—it’s about relief. He doesn’t say, “Finish your work and then come to me.” He simply says, “Come to me.” It’s an open door in the middle of chaos, not at the end of it. Jesus says in Psalm 46:10 (ESV): “Be still, and know that I am God.” But the voice I hear in my mind is one that says, “Get it done or you will miss the deadline. Don’t stop now. You’re not tired! You can’t stop.” However, if I close my eyes and quiet my mind then I hear another voice. God whispers a calming message: “Be still.”

In an action that seems counterintuitive, I close my laptop. My heart is heavy. My mind feels stretched beyond capacity. I stop. I stop trying to finish self-imposed demands. I stop and whisper, “Jesus, I’m here.” He’s not checking my productivity to see if I’ve met my goal. He is not concerned if I achieved more today than yesterday. No, He is concerned with my well-being. He’s healing my exhaustion.

Have you felt this? Too many demands, schedules, timelines, and not enough rest? This is not what our Lord and Savior wants for us. He is our loving Father. He wants His children to feel His love, compassion, and peace. Stillness doesn’t always mean laziness or incompetence—it means surrender. It’s the pause between breaths where you let go of your busyness and remember who holds the world together (God, not you).

Psalm 46:10 doesn’t say “work harder and know that I am God.” It says, “Be still.” The psalmist wrote those words during turmoil, not peace. God calls us to trust Him even when the world presses us to move faster, produce more, be better at everything. God remains unshaken.

Resting in Him isn’t laziness—it’s surrender. It’s believing that God’s strength can hold what burdens you. His love is everlasting. This means He loves you when you are overwhelmed and He knows you need rest. When others demand, “Pay attention or answer now”, the quiet voice of Jesus whispers, “Abide in Me.”

The work will still be there, but resting in Jesus will provide you with strength and peace. Return to Him. Rest in Him. Trust God. His love will bring you peace.

Let’s Pray: Father, thank You for always loving me and protecting me. Teach me that rest is peace with You and renewal. Replace my hurriedness with silence and rest. Lord, I bring You my exhaustion and endless to-do list. Teach me to release what I can’t control, and to find peace in Your presence. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Be Still and Know” by Steven Curtis Chapman. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Abide in Me” by Ana Laura. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Terry Overton is a retired university professor of educational and school psychology. She has an Ed.D. in Special Education and a Ph.D. in Psychology. 

Her professional experience includes teaching public school, teaching at the university level, and being a college dean.

She has two children, seven grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.

Her previous writing and publication experiences include textbook and journal articles in the fields of special education and school psychology. She now seeks to answer God’s call to share the good news and grow the church by writing Christian books and devotionals.

Over the years, Terry’s books have won the Mom’s Choice Award, Christian Indie Award, Firebird Book Awards, American Writing Winner Awards, Bookfest Winner Awards, Pencraft Award, Reader Views Silver Reviewers Award, and International Book Award Finalist. Her writing examines real world events with a Christian worldview. She enjoys writing for young children, middle grade readers, YA fiction, and adult level novels.

Terry’s background in teaching adults and children shine through her stories that often include a character with educational or learning challenges. Her Christmas series, The Oddball Ornaments, features a box of misfit ornaments who first learn the meaning of Christmas and then discover the meaning of forgiveness. In The Underground Book Readers series, one of the main characters is on the autism spectrum yet is one of the leaders of the group of teens. Book one of a new series, The Messiah Brigade, features an awkward middle school nerd who helps his school turn around a bully gang of kids. Adoption and family issues are the focus of her new book, Charlotte McMaster and the Messenger Angel.

Terry lives in Texas and enjoys reading, taking pictures for devotional posts on social media, visiting with her family, playing golf, and writing.

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Connect with Terry:
Website: https://www.authorterryoverton.com
Blog: https://terryovertonbooks.com
LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/overtont

Thankful Thursday: A God Who Calls Us to Be Still

It’s Thursday and I’m thankful for a God who calls us to be still.

Growing up, a classic song that often played on my favorite Christian radio station at that time was “Be Still and Know” by Steven Curtis Chapman.

I never knew what that song meant until I grew up. The lyrics to this song are based on a Bible verse. Psalm 46:10 reads: He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

But what does God mean when He tells us to “be still” and “know that He is God”? As I was driving one day earlier this week, this thought came to me and I realized several real-life scenarios in which God calls us to be still.

Here’s a short list (because the scenarios are boundless):

For Mothers of young children: When your babies are turning your house into chaos with activity, noise, and wailing, God calls you “be still” even if it’s just for a moment and “know that He is God”. In your situation, that means that He will bring peace and order to your household. Remember, Jesus loves the little children and beckons them to come to Him. He gave you those kids because He loves you and trusts you will raise them well. Don’t be too hard on yourself when you are tempted to think that because of the chaos, you are failing as a mother. God doesn’t expect you to be perfect, He expects you to be faithful to Him and He’ll take care of all the details. So by taking a moment to be still, breathe and remember He is in control, you are recognizing that He is God and He knows what He’s doing even when you feel that you don’t. He will help you and bless your efforts to be a faithful servant of His and a good mother to your kids.

For students in school: Assignments and tests given to you by your teachers can be stressful, especially when you’re struggling with learning the content. So for you, being still and knowing that God is God means that you’re taking a moment out of your rigorous life as a student to turn to God and ask Him for guidance. The very act of being still and acknowledging God, even if it’s just for a moment, should bring you peace and a better perspective on your situation. The Bible says to ask God for wisdom and He’ll give it to you. God created your brain. He’s perfectly capable of helping your brain master the content of what you’re studying. He can bless you with understanding and help you get good grades. If you have a tough teacher, God can soften your teacher’s heart and inspire them to grade a challenging test “on the curve” or make it so that they become a more effective teacher that helps every student—struggling or not—understand the content and ace every test. When you’re a student and you’re taking all of those classes, trying to get a good education because your parents said it is the key to your future, being still and knowing that God is God will help calm your nerves. God’s got this! Believe it.

For professionals working in careers: Congratulations on getting and keeping a job! Maybe you’re working your dream job or maybe you’re transitioning from another career. Maybe you love your work or you strongly dislike it. Either way, there is great value in taking  time to be still and know that God is God. Start your mornings with prayer and devotional time with God. My pastor always says that “Mornings are better when you talk with God first.” Christian leaders say that “Prayer is the most important conversation of the day.” Why? Because when you talk to God first—not reaching for your phone to check messages and reply to texts, or engage in any other activity before spending time with your Creator—and you ask Him for guidance throughout your day, you will experience His peace and sense His presence. You will be calm when dealing with a difficult boss, employee or client. You will be peaceful when your colleagues are stressed about deadlines. People will notice your peace and inquire why there’s something different about you and then my friend, God’s given you a chance to witness for Him!

Those are just three key examples that I believe a lot of people in those situations can relate to in real-life. But when it comes to situations in my own life, let me tell you what it means for me to “be still” and “know” that God is God…When I’m stressed or worried, I take a moment to be still, breathe and acknowledge that God is God. He is Lord over all! He is in control, not people. When I recognize His Lordship over my life, it creates a sense of peace in my mind and calms my heart. I put my faith and trust in Him because He is Good and His plan for my life is perfect (Jeremiah 29:11). So I know that when I’m bothered by the troubles of the world and struggling in my personal life, all I need to do is send my problems up to Him in prayer then leave it at His throne and trust Him to work all things together for my good (Romans 8:28). Someone once said that when you have “F.A.I.T.H.”, it means that you are “Forwarding All Issues to Heaven.” It’s an acronym. Get it?

I take solace in the fact that Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace and since He lives in the heart of believers (in God), I can trust Him to give me peace. But His peace is not just for me; it’s for everyone He sends my way. See, being still and knowing that God is God doesn’t just help you, it helps everyone because like it or not, we are all connected and affected by each other. So when you’re peaceful in the midst of chaos, people are going to marvel and wonder why. They may even be bold enough to ask you and then again, you have a chance to share your faith in the One who is Lord over all.

Sharing your faith in God with words of love (Ephesians 4:15) instead of shoving the gospel truth down someone’s throat (metaphorically speaking) attracts people to God and encourages their heart when they see how much He loves them.

I know that when I take the time to reflect on all God has done for me and I read in the Bible how God is good and He will never change, I am encouraged and inspired to live my life for His glory. His goodness and love for humankind, at times renders me speechless. My heart overflows with joy to know that God is my Father (and yours too). The lyrics to this song “Be Still and Know” encourage me to go to God for rest and embrace His heart of love that beats so strongly for His children. 

Knowing that God is God and just taking a moment every day to be still and remember that truth will change your life!

So there you have it, that’s why I am thankful this Thursday!

In closing, I’d like for you to listen to the song.

God bless your hearts!

Love,

Alexis