Why Won't It Stop Shaking?
“I feel the earth move under my feet, I feel the sky tumbling down – tumbling down!” Have you ever been in a season where it seemed like everything was shaking and it just wouldn’t stop? This morning I was praying I was praying over a seemingly never ending list. I was calling out the names of several dear friends who have been struggling for a long time. I told God that I was ready for Him to rescue them! Chronic pain, continual financial stress, addictions or strongholds in our life, and even the various relational complications we face everyday…. these all rock our world like an endless earthquake.
We find ourselves just wanting to find a stable place to sit for a while and not “feel” the shaking!
One day, when the girls were young, we took them on a nature trail. As we were attempting to cross over a rope bridge my daughter said, “I’m scared, why won’t it stop shaking?”. I tried to explain to her- “the bridge moves because we are moving… if we will be still it will stop shaking.” That’s it! Be still.
I’ve seen this phrase over and over in memes and motivational posters. I’ve seen more Pinterest pins, Hobby Lobby signs and “Be Still” tattoos than I can count. I’ve read it in the Word, written it in cards and even preached on it several times. WARNING: The moment you assume yourself to be FAMILIAR ENOUGH with a particular truth… that’s the very moment you’re in danger of being tempted to lose FOCUS OF that very truth.
Look again at the truths you think you know so well. There’s something deeper. There’s more to find. There’s fresh revelation. There’s new understanding. “Be Still” is a phrase that comes from Psalm 46 of The Bible. So this morning I read back over the entire chapter of Psalm 46. Something I’ve done many, many times before, but I’ve never read The Message version of this passage. It says:
“Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God…”
That’s what we need. Hit The Brakes. Stop. Be still. Step out of the traffic. UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THE BUSY. So often we just toss a little wish at God and think we were “being still” for a moment. No girl, No. What we really need to do is REMOVE ourselves from the RUSHING world around us and park ourselves on ONE thing – Jesus.
“Do not swerve to the right or to the left…..” Proverbs 4:27
“Keep looking straight ahead, without turning aside.” Proverbs 4:25 “We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete.” Hebrews 12:2
Look away from the distractions. Tune out the pain and the voices, the advertisements and billboards reminding us of mistakes or failures.
Girl, get out of the rushing lane. Stop spinning in circles. Be still long enough for the bridge we are on to stop shaking.
I remember that moment on the rope bridge. We waited for everyone else to finish crossing so that we could take it at the right pace… UNRUSHED. We paused there together long enough to feel the safety of one calm step at a time. I reached down, took her hand and walked with her all the way across.
That’s what He does. When we “be still”, “step out of the traffic” and “look to Him”, He reaches down with His strong right arm and stabilizes us.
Psalm 46:1-3 MSG God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous in seastorm and earthquake, Before the rush and roar of oceans, the tremors that shift mountains. Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God of Angel Armies protects us.
Go ahead, find a place to step out of the traffic, be still and read the rest of the chapter. There is a safe “unshaken” place to cross over.
