“Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth!” (Ps. 46:10)
One of the main reasons so many of us are burned out and stressed out is that we don’t know how to be still, to “know” God and “acknowledge” Him. When we spend time with Him, we learn to hear His voice.
When we acknowledge Him, He directs our paths. If we don’t spend time being still, getting to know Him and hearing His voice, we will operate from our own strength in the flesh. As we saw before, we can burn out because God is not obligated to anoint us in doing something He didn’t direct.
We need to learn to be quiet inside and stay in that peaceful state so that we are always ready to hear the lord’s voice.
Many people today run from one thing to the next. Because their minds don’t know how to be still, they don’t know how to be still. At one time I didn’t know how to stay home for an evening, and I was a full-grown adult!
I felt I had to find something to do every evening. I had to be involved and on the go being a part of whatever was going on. I thought I couldn’t afford to miss anything that happened because I didn’t want anything to go on I didn’t know about. I couldn’t just sit and be still, look at a tree in the backyard or drink a cup of coffee. I had to be up doing something. I was not a human being – I was a human doing.
Our young friend Paul was like that. At the age of 22 he had the call of the Lord on him but didn’t know what it was. Paul was so used to doing, the Lord required Paul to do only one thing: Stay home with his family for a year.
Even though the requirement was simple, obeying would be hard. Paul was used to running around with his friends every evening. Paul knew every night his flesh would start screaming, “I want to go out with my friends!” For Paul to obey God’s requirement took special obedience.
One of the reasons the Lord told Paul to stay home for a year was to establish good family relationships. So for the next year Paul was there in the family barbecuing for them, watching good movies with them – spending time with his mom, dad, brothers and sisters. But he was still so full of his old lifestyle, he found it hard to be still. In the evening he roamed all over the house.
“I would rotate around the house at night. My mother said she saw me in the kitchen at least six or seven times a night. I just couldn’t be still; I had to be up doing something.”
The difference in him between then and now is amazing. It’s hard to believe he was ever that way. The Lord wanted to keep Paul still for a year so that He could do the work needed in Paul. I believe if Paul had not obeyed God for that year, he would not be in the position he is in now, experiencing the blessings, including the peace and joy, that result from doing God’s will.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A New York Times bestselling author, her books have helped millions of people find hope and restoration through Jesus Christ. Through Joyce Meyer Ministries, she teaches on a number of topics with a particular focus on the mind, mouth, moods and attitudes. Her candid communication style allows her to share openly and practically about her experiences so others can apply what she has learned to their lives.
Joyce hosts a TV and radio show, Enjoying Everyday Life, which broadcasts worldwide to a potential audience of 4.5 billion people. She has authored 100 books, which have been translated into more than 100 languages. More than 12 million of her books have been distributed free of charge around the world, and each year millions of copies are sold.
Joyce conducts close to a dozen domestic and international conferences every year, teaching people to enjoy their everyday lives. For 30 years, her annual women's conference has attracted more than 200,000 women from all over the world to St. Louis for specifically themed teachings by her and guest speakers.
Through her teachings, God has provided opportunities to meet the needs of the suffering and bring the Gospel in a practical way. Joyce's passion to help hurting people every day is foundational to the vision of Hand of Hope, the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. These outreaches around the globe include feeding programs, medical care, homes for orphans, and programs combatting human trafficking. In her hometown of St. Louis, Joyce and Dave, her husband, founded the St. Louis Dream Center (SLDC) in 2000. The SLDC serves the inner city through hands-on programs targeted at reaching the lost and hurting with the love of Christ.
Over the years, God has provided Joyce with many opportunities to share her testimony and the life-changing message of the Gospel. Having suffered sexual abuse throughout her childhood, as well as just dealing with the struggles of everyday life, Joyce discovered the freedom to live victoriously by applying God's Word to her life and in turn desires to help others do the same.
Joyce is and continues to be an incredible testimony of the dynamic, redeeming work of Jesus Christ.