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
The words of this familiar psalm invite us to rest in God, to enter into stillness in the presence of his majesty and might. Most of us find being still to be quite a challenge. In fact, we're not accustomed to that at all.
Instead, we work, we do, we strive. We fix things. We build. We act. We talk.
Rarely are we still.
And it's not that we wouldn't like to be - it's that we simply don't know how.
The writer and theologian Marva Dawn suggests that the phrase "be still" in this verse should be translated "cease striving." That translation is different enough to merit some attention. We are being told here to stop something that we're already doing - something that is almost second nature to us.
It is as if God is saying to us: I know that it's in your nature to strive - but I am telling you to stop it! Cease your striving! Choose to be still!
I recall my seminary theology professor talking often about the tension between striving and acceptance that marks our lives as followers of Jesus. On the one hand, there are so many things that we should work toward. Our effort, it turns out, really does matter. On the other hand, there is a place of calm trust, peace, and acceptance. It is vital that we understand that so much of our spiritual walk depends on God alone. There comes a point where our strivings cease, a point where we simply bask in God's goodness and grace.
Both the striving and the acceptance are crucial to the story, and it's essential that we find a way to live in the tension between those two great forces.
Maybe it's just me, but I tend to be naturally drawn to the striving. For me, it's much harder to trust God and to live in his gracious acceptance. Which is why the words of Psalm 46:10 are so revealing. As important as it is to work hard, we are told clearly here that there is a limit to what we can do.
When it's time to strive, we need to do that with all of our might.
But we also need to understand that there is a time for the striving to stop.
"Cease your striving!" God commands us. "Don't ever forget that I am God!"