Spiritual Serenity

I learned recently that the original Hebrew root of “Be Still” means to “Let Go” transforming Psalm 46:10 to “Let go and know that I am God”…and then somewhere on the internet I read that “Psalm 46:10 encourages us to reflect on what God can do in the face of what we are unable to do.”…I like this.  I’ve been reflecting on this mini-paradigm shift of one of the most powerfully understated passages in scripture the past few weeks and I like where it’s leading me:

“Be still and know that I am God.”  Psalm 46:10

I have stamped this verse on jewelry, printed it on bookmarks and I’ve sung more than a few songs about it over the years and it’s meaning has always centered on a physical stillness for me…be still, be quiet, be calm…but I don’t think I’ve gotten it quite right, especially if it’s root meaning is to “let go”, because life has taught me that the process of letting go varies greatly.  Sometimes letting go is clothed in quiet acts of obedience as “be still” might imply but more often than not, my “letting go” is loud.  In recent months my letting go has been clothed in deep, guttural groans of grief but in other seasons of my life it has been clothed in shouts of liberating victory!!  Sometimes it’s wrapped in such promise and sometimes the process is strangled by fear.  Either way, though, what we are left with is the great I Am!  No matter how threatening the storm that is swirling around me may be and no matter what the process of letting go looks like, what God is commanding me to do in this verse is to trust Him…a faith derived from a steady and deep understanding of who I know Him to be.   Let Go and know that I AM GOD!  Sometimes it’s more empowering for me if I switch it up a bit…Know that I am God and LET GO…let go…let go of trying to figure it all out…let go of the worry or shame or guilt or pain…let go of the manmade safety nets…let go of the faith in things that fall short and disappoint…let go of the fear of uncertainty…let go.  

And as it pertains to me specifically in the context of facing my mortality, the process of letting go doesn’t mean to give up or resign myself to a death sentence…no way!  Just the opposite!  The call to trust God and let go is to let go of all the things that might be hindering me from fully embracing the life I am living RIGHT NOW and the promises of God that continue to be true for me…no matter how threatening the storm is!

Although there is a physical calmness in our household (for which I’m grateful), what I’m striving for is a continued spiritual serenity…an inner calm that creates space for life to be richly lived…for all the Geylings.  🙂  Will you join me in that prayer?