Be Still and Know

I was watching the movie Apollo 13 the other day. What an amazing incident that whole thing was. One of the things that really struck me was a brief mention of the fact that Congress passed a resolution calling on Americans to pray for the astronauts. I just had to ask myself “would that happen today?” I don’t know the answer to that but I have my suspicions.

One of the things that I tell people about my own personal experiences with trials is that they have not made me a better person. The reality is my trials have brought me to my knees, to God and He made me a better person.

I think that is something sorely missing in the current trials our country is going through right now. Our government is trying to enact all sorts of programs and stimulus packages and such, in order to help people avoid pain. But, experiencing pain, going through trials is a condition of humanity. Blocking that pain only brings short term benefits. Being willing to go through pain is the thing that really can bring about lasting benefits, like life lessons and character development.

It seems instead of turning to God so many are turning to the government. That’s messed up. How would it be if the governments answer was the same that it was during the Apollo 13 mission, pray. We need Him as much as ever, if not more these days.
I found this past election season to be quite turbulent. I think most people would agree. I also found it quite disheartening and I think most Conservatives would agree.

One day in particular I found myself experiencing a sinking feeling of doubt and anxiousness, when kind of out of nowhere it was replaced by a feeling of hope and peace. It felt like a tender mercy of God reaching me and just letting me know that no matter what, things were going to be okay. Regardless of the elections it was going to be okay.

Yes, I know that must mean that I’m a right wing nut job who believes God can guide our lives if we are open to it.

His message for me that day, which has really stuck with me, is one of peace. I was reminded of the passage in Psalms 46:10 “Be Still and Know That I Am God.”
One of the most important gifts we have been given next to our lives, is agency, the power and the freedom to direct our lives. That is one of the great principles that guides this nation, that we should be free to choose.

However, disappointed anyone might be with election results or the direction of the nation right now, or the fallout following the passage of propositions, we can rest assured that we are still in God’s hands. As long as we trust in Him, we understand that He can and does sanctify our experiences for our benefit. He can make us better if we let Him.

Being still does not mean we just sit like a bump on a log. We need to do what we can to promote goodness and correct principles. But, we need to humbly trust God and ask Him for His help in our lives.

This is the greatest country on earth and will continue to be. “In God We Trust” is our motto. I hope more and more of us will put it into action. We trust God, we should be asking for His help. I know that many are.

As we face these current trials I know that God can and will sanctify them for our benefit, but it is going to require a willingness to go through the trials, not around, not avoiding, but going straight through it. Government can play an appropriate role, but the experiences we have gone through as a nation from it’s founding to Civil War, to Apollo 13 to September 11th, all these things and more should have taught us the great lesson to fall on our knees and turn to God. Again that does not mean that we do nothing of ourselves. But, we first have to be open to the sanctification process that God bestows.

Anyone who has read this blog or listened to me talk about the current situations we are in, know that I’m not all that thrilled with it. But, I still trust that peace, that tender mercy. When we truly recognize God’s hands in our lives, and we truly turn to Him, I think we will find that we are not just in His hands, we are in His arms. That is enough to start anyone through the process of overcoming any trial.
God Bless America, God Bless Americans, He has, He does, and He will.