“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalms 46:10a
While this verse is set up as a command, at its heart is a beautiful promise of God’s goodness and power. When we pray and ask God for something, we must remember that He tells us to be still and know that He is God.
Deciding to be still and experience joy during the healing journey is particularly challenging because we want to be well or want relationships healed instantly. In an era where we get instant gratification, scripture tells us to be still. It’s counterintuitive and countercultural, yet that’s just what we are called to do. When we follow this call to stillness, joy can bubble up in our lives as we experience the simple yet profound truth that God is God.
The path to the joy we find in stillness is not an easy one, and the healing journey is often one that we take through tears. Many of us have experienced pain and broken relationships as a result of others’ actions or words and have shed tears over these relationships, longing for these relationships to be healed. This is particularly true from those who have suffered deep trauma within relationships as our participants at Rebirth Homes have. Unhealthy relationships can cause participants to relapse, but relationships that are healthy can strengthen participants. Journeying with others in life and specifically those who enter the doors of Rebirth Homes has illuminated for me how challenging patience and waiting on God is.
It can be very difficult to differentiate between God’s timing and our timing. As participants begin to heal in some areas, there’s sometimes an expectation that every area of life and every relationship will be healed instantly, but the process can be a long one with many twists and turns. It’s so hard to be still and wait on God when our deepest desires are to be reconciled to family members or friends, yet timing is critical and can either harm or strengthen our participants. That’s one place God’s call for us to be still is so important.
Jesus offers us hope and peace in the midst of healing from pain and suffering. While we may weep during our pain and suffering, joy is promised every day. We must choose joy and trust God as we wait on Him to do the work that needs to be done. I pray that all of us experience a deep level of joy and peace as we be still and wait on God to bring healing to all areas of our lives.
“Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Psalms 30:5b
In Christ’s love,
Debbie Martis