Hello Friends! You know those awesome graphics that we get every week to go with our memory verse? They’re made by my friend Tania Meek. Tania has a way of speaking and writing and creating that leaves me a little bit breathless. I’m always so touched by the way she shares her heart. I’ve asked her to take over this week’s Memory Verse devotional. I hope you enjoy her heart as much as I do.
Have you ever had a verse that seemed to keep presenting itself to you, over and over again – sticking with you even when you were ready to move on? Psalm 46:10 has been that verse for me.
It’s an easy one to remember, especially the first half. I’ve known it most of my life.
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Then, three years ago, it began to weave into my life from different sources and I could not shake it. I quickly realized that God had a message He wanted me to hear. Rather than ignore it, I began to open my heart and study it.
How hard could that be, really?
It is such a simple and straightforward verse.
I didn’t realize He would unpack it in three phases for me, over the course of the next three years.
Phase one – be still.
Ahhhh, surely that’s the message He was trying to get across in my life.
Let’s be honest, though. I was rather lousy at stillness. I am not only a closet perfectionist but a constant striver. My personal drive to live life to the fullest and cherish each moment often leaves me questioning whether I am doing enough, being enough. I come up lacking – each and every time.
The root Hebrew word of the English word “still” is Raphah. One of its translated meanings is to cease.
That first year, God and I had a big conversation about ceasing. He was asking me to cease striving. I walked that out by walking from a career and identity that I had fallen into and loved. I ceased to be her.
The second year of unpacking this verse was one of deep, inner struggle. While the year prior was one of stilling my outer life, leaving a job I loved and learning to say no to outward commitments, the remainder of 2015 and the beginning of 2016 was the phase of trust. He spoke straight to my heart, asking if I understood the next phrase – know that I am God. I knew Him, at least in an intellectual sense, and had my entire life, but this conversation, on the steps of my soul, became one much more intimate. This journey took me from knowing Him in my head to knowing Him in my heart. Did I believe Him? Did I trust Him? Did I realize how very deep His love was for me? Did I surrender to that love? My answers came up lacking.
The struggle came in the surrender – the surrender to be still, to know. To trust that He was who He said He was.
Next came phase three. By this point, I was more than ready to move on. For such a small, easy verse this had been a painful growth process. This final year began with a meme I found online from #5MinWithJesus which stated “The Hebrew root word of be still doesn’t mean “be quiet”; It means “let go.” “Let go and know that I am God.”
Immediately, I felt Him nudge my heart. He was not done. He is not done. These past twelve months have been one of release – a journey of letting go.
It began with letting go of my dreams. My dream to be someone, do something.
Then moved on to letting go of our home – the home we had built to raise our children and make memories.
Next came the release of my expectations – expectations that my life should look a certain way, feel a certain way.
And last but not least, I am currently learning to release the people in my life. Within the last month, I have said goodbye to two pillars in my family. This release has been the hardest. I love my people. Saying goodbye is the true walking out of the knowing God portion of this verse: knowing that He is in control, trusting in Him, knowing He will be honored by every nation, throughout the world.
It has become knowing that this journey is not one about me but one about Him.
What will you learn about Him when you are still? When you cease striving? When you learn to let go?
You can find Tania on Facebook and Instagram. And be sure to check out more beautiful words of inspiration at http://www.5minuteswithjesus.com/share.
