The Election is Here… Be Still and Know Who is Still God
Tomorrow (11/3) is the US election. Because of that, you may be feeling anxious or any variety of emotions about what might happen (or what you hope won’t happen) tomorrow and in the days that follow.
To that end, let me encourage you take a moment today (or any time in the coming weeks) and do the following to recenter yourself on God:
Put your phone and computer down in another room or turn them off (scary, I know).
Sit down, close your eyes and take a deep breath in and let it out. Breathe again and let your shoulders drop and relax. Let your body relax.
Just be silent and still for a moment. Take another breath.
Then do this exercise from pastor and author Chuck DeGroat, based on Psalm 46:10 ("Be still and know that I am God"), still relaxing and breathing, moving slowly:
Slowly say this verse, "Be still and know that I am God." Breathe and let it sink in.
Say. "Be still and know that I AM."
Say, "Be still and know." Let God fill that knowing.
Say, "Be still." Let yourself really be still
Say, "Be." And for a moment, just ‘be.’
Repeat as desired, letting your heart interact with and respond to what you say. Let it be the beginning of a conversation and connection you have with God about how you're responding to the world around you. And in that conversation, give it all over to him, knowing that he is God and with him, you can “be still.”
Now, this isn't some kind of cure-all for anxiety or anger. The point isn't to magically set you free from pain, frustration or worry. The point is to put you back in touch with the One who one day will set you free from all that (Rev. 21:1-4).
Until then, we turn our hearts to Him in hope, breathing in the peace that comes we have from being still and knowing he is God.