Meditation for Perfectionists – Monday August 19, 2019

Hush and Relax

Psalm 46:10: “Cease striving and know that I am God” (NASB).

When we focus on knowing about God, we are adding to our “to do” list. When we concentrate on knowing and enjoying God, we can begin to relax and appreciate him. Some of us are obsessed with wanting and gaining more. We strive to make certain that we will always have enough.

Enough of what? Everything. Enough knowledge, enough love and acceptance, enough security, significance, goodness, hope, enough of God’s love and grace.

When we strive only to know about God, we may be in competition to gain more knowledge than others. What we look like and what we say may become more important than God himself. Sometimes our striving means that we keep so busy studying and reading that we neglect the reality of his person. The psalmist wrote a song. Included in the lyrics are the words: “Be still and know that I am God.” This verse encourages us to quit thrashing inside, hush and relax in who God is.

Lord, sometimes I am in such a race inside
that even the thought of slowing down to relax with you
is frightening.
How can I expect to prove my competence
if I cease striving?
O, God, I need your help.

Copyright Joan C. Webb

For more from Joan Webb visit www.joancwebb.com