To encourage and strengthen one another through a tumultuous year, our sisters in the Champaign Church of Christ (Illinois, USA) wrote and shared their devotional thoughts through a “Women’s Ministry Minute” on their church’s website during 2020.  The quiet time devotionals were written by and for Christian women to build each other up in faith as we all focus our hearts on Jesus.

Here are a few of the devotionals from the series.  To see more, visit the Champaign Church website:  https://champaignchurch.org/womens-ministry-minute

Be Still

By Becky Gleason

Since the beginning of the year, it seems the Lord has been calling me to be still.

Not the still as in remaining at rest or stationary, but the still as in free from noise and flurry.

Being a mom with very young children at home, for me free from noise isn’t something that happens often—and if it does I may be more worried about the silence than calmed by it (asking myself, “What are they getting into?!” as I search for their curious little hands). But even still, God hasn’t been calling me to be free from the external noise my environment naturally brings.

He’s been whispering to my heart to be still in Him. He’s been asking me to lean into being calm and content in what He provides... and what He may take away. Be still and free from the noise of worry and anxiousness that makes my heart flutter.

And this call hasn’t been out of the blue. In January I got news that made me quake with fear. But God whispered, “Be still.” He told the Israelites the same thing when they were being chased by the Egyptians after Moses led them out of Egypt. In Exodus 14:14 it says, “The Lord will fight for you; you only need to be still.” I don’t know about you, but I would certainly be afraid if an army were chasing me and my family! But the Lord told them to be still. He wanted them to trust Him. He wants me to trust Him.

A dear friend gave me a journal and I started it just before the new year, just before I got that alarming news. At the end of the page, it asked me to write a word for the day. About 90% of those pages have the word “be still” written on them. That’s what came to my mind most days as I sat and thought and listened. That particular journal came to a close just after the world was “stilled.”

This virus that came to us and our world has “stilled” on one level, but you can clearly tell being still in your heart is a completely different kind of thing than the “stillness” a clear schedule and stay-at-home order may induce. Situations that were worrisome from earlier in the year continued and new ones were most definitely added. And rocky toddler strong wills and their accompanying emotions were amplified with the new regulations of only being with each other 24/7. Rocky toddler emotions were sometimes met with a stormy mother, too. But each day my heart hears Him reminding me to be still. Not just still from the worry now, but still in the storm. Sometimes a storm made by my own sinful attitudes and reactions.

Another scripture that always comes to mind when being called to be still is Psalm 46:10. “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 Psalm talks about all these crazy things happening and things crashing, quaking and falling away. But where God is, that’s where it’s steady—it doesn’t fall. He will show Himself to be God. He is in control. He is strong enough. He is capable enough. He will be exalted in my heart.

But His call is also not without help. Just as I picture my small child resting her head on my chest after a fall or even a temper tantrum, God is my “ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1) He is my comforter and He is my rod that guides. I think He longs to help “quiet” me. I have to allow Him to do so! I am still hearing that whisper and am still learning to listen for it and turn toward that call. I’m so grateful that His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23) and that He is patient with me as I continue to try and quiet my heart in Him. For He loves me and He is strong.