In Pursuit of Rest
Tuesday (November 4)
In Pursuit of Rest
Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
The pursuit of stillness has become a booming industry today. App developers are creating soothing musical playlists and soft-spoken voiceovers to help ease stress. Therapists are leading clients in stretches and muscle movements and breathing exercises to help detox fevered minds from anxiety. Nutritionists are selling everything from teas to aromatic oils to vitamins to supplements to sleep medicines in hopes of boosting restfulness. Naturalists are leading excursions on winding mountain paths, through forests, and up rivers to get away from the noise of industry. And that’s not to mention how many people are exercising routinely and planting gardens and taking winter vacations to the ocean and fishing and horseback riding and golfing and reading books under lamplight, all in an attempt to attain a greater sense of psychological and emotional stillness in a constantly moving world. While many of these activities are helpful stimulants for providing a state of restfulness, they aren’t the stillness to which God refers in Psalm 46:10. God’s call to silence is a spiritual exercise. It isn’t merely drowning out the noise. It’s being aware of His presence and providence amidst the noise.
On the worship album I recorded in 2024 called Kingdom Rising, an album that reflected on the way Almighty God continues to incarnate into the crevices of our common lives to meet us and work through our feeble hands, I wrote a song called “Broken, Beautiful” that was directly inspired by the Psalmist’s words here in Psalm 46. It goes like this: “Though the mountains fall into the heart of the sea—I will be still. Though the waters roar and thunder around me—I will be still. Though my enemy attacks me from all sides—I will be still. Though the devil keeps on whispering his lies—I will be still. Though my way gets dark and I can’t see Your face—I will be still. Though this world can seem a God-forsaken place—I will be still. And know that You are in control. You’ll make the broken beautiful.”
Friend, before you hit the gym or prepare your morning playlist or finish off your coffee, just close your eyes, calm your busy mind, and rest silently in the knowledge that God’s got it all under control.