Each day, I quiet myself by “letting it go”. (see my blog “Meditations: Let It Go”).

Next, I repeat this mantra from Psalms: “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10).

Sometimes, I need to become still, and remember that God is in control, despite the many things in my personal life that I can’t let go of:

—my worries that I’m too busy to do the overwhelming number of things that I must do that day;

—my worries that I’m inadequate to overcome the overwhelming challenges that I’ll face that day; and

—my worries that I’ll fail.

But more often, I need to become still, and remember that God is in control, despite the many terrible things that I can’t control.

Often, these terrible things come to my attention as a “Notification” on my smart phone:

—a bomb killing children;

—a mass shooter killing children;

—an earthquake killing children; or

—a disease killing children.

As I doom scroll throughout the day, the list of terrible things that I can’t control grows and grows.

These terrible things won’t go away, even though I let them go.

These terrible things will exist, will be real, will matter, and will be meaningful, even though I let them go.

I can’t be still about these terrible things by attributing them to unconscious, impersonal, unfeeling forces.

Like Jesus, when terrible things happen, I must weep (John 11:35; Luke 19:41-42).

After I weep, how can I become still despite all these terrible things that I can’t control?

Like the Psalmist in Psalm 46, I remember:

God is our refuge and strength,

     an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

     and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam

     and the mountains quake with their surging.

(Psalm 46:1-3)

Despite all these terrible things that I can’t control, I can be still.

Why?

Because—as I sit on my patio meditating—I see the still waters of the pond reflecting the sunrise. And I remember:

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

     the holy place where the Most High dwells.

God is within her, she will not fall;

     God will help her at break of day.

(Psalm 46:4-5)

Despite all these terrible things that I can’t control, I can be still.

Why?

Because God  reminds me that he is God. I’m not God.

I should be still. I should let God be the one and only God (Deuteronomy 6:4). I should not try to become a god who can control these terrible things. (Genesis 3:5).

As I sit on my patio, I see trees waving in the breeze. I realize how much taller the trees are, and how many more limbs and leaves they have, than when we bought this house a dozen years ago. Even though we can’t see the trees growing day by day, they’ve been growing and growing year by year.

And so, I take heart. I can be still because God is not still.

God is building his kingdom slowly, but surely, like the mustard tree that Jesus used as an illustration for the Kingdom of God.

The mustard tree starts as a tiny seed. Nevertheless, it grows and grows “so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” (Matthew 13:32-32).

All I have to do is be still and trust the Amazing Grace of God to grow the tree and fill its branches with birds, in God’s good time and in God’s good way.

All I have to do is be still.

Why?

So that I don’t scare any birds away.

And so that I can hear all the birds singing in the trees, greeting the Light of Day as it chases away the Dark of Night. (Genesis 1:1-4; John 1:1-5).

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT

What terrible things have been happening in your personal life that you can’t control?

What terrible things have been happening in the world that you can’t control?

How can you stay still despite so many terrible things happening?

READ MORE

For other blogs about meditating in the morning, please read my blogs “Meditations: This Is the Day that the LORD Hath Made”, “Meditations: Let It Go”, “Going Further onto the Patio”, “Amazing Grace: Birdsongs!”, “Pandemic Wisdom: Leaves and Birds”, “Pandemic Wisdom: Meditating”, “A Foggy Sunrise”, “Mountains and Hills Breaking Into Song”, and “God Cares for Each Bird That I See Each Morning”.