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Writer's pictureDebra Pauli

Graceful Perseverance: "Be Still" - 05/07/23

Welcome back to this week’s blog! This week I’m sharing with you yet another personal matter between God and myself. When I contemplate all of the matters between my Heavenly Father and me, there is only one ask He truly needs from me - “Be Still.”

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!” – Psalm 46:10 (ESV).


Why is it so hard for many of us to surrender to the Lord and “Be Still”? If we truly believe He is God alone, and He is all we need, then that should be enough assurance for us to trust in Him and let go. The reality is, we are not in control anyway. Many of us believe in our minds that we need to take control of matters…make spontaneous and reckless decisions, demand things go into action, and make unpredictable choices instantly without patience for the Lord.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! – Psalm 37:7 (ESV). We are extremely intolerant human beings, but the good news is, God already knows this. Therefore, let go and let God fight our battles, for all we need to do then is be silent.


“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” – Exodus 14:14 (ESV).


Why do we feel the need to take control of our situations? It is because we do not whole heartedly trust our God. And even when things don’t change, and we don’t see any movement in any direction, we panic, and lose all faith that God is working behind the scenes on our behalf. It is when the teacher is silent when the student is taking the test. We are also species that struggle with “faith without sight.” Therefore Lord, “Teach me, and I will be silent; make me understand how I have gone astray.” – Job 6:24 (ESV).

If we can’t see with our eyes, then He must not be making a way for us. He’s must not be parting the waters for us to walk through. He must not be paving the way for our future. He must not love us enough to reveal His Plan for our future if He doesn’t reveal to us in a big bang moment. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV).


I am as guilty as the next person in “letting go.” When God says, “All I need from you is to be still,” He’s actually working on our behalf in the background, and no, we cannot always see the progress He’s making. This is a time when the teacher is teaching us the lesson of “trust.” This is a time where God will whisper, “Trust Me, and know that I am God!” And in a panic, if we can’t see with our own eyes, then He must not love us enough to help us; therefore, we still try to take control of our situation which only then we are “getting in our own way” to God’s plan. God continues to remind us whenever we fall into this trap, A time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; - Ecclesiastes 3:7 (ESV).

Our God never sleeps, He never slumbers or takes a day off from us. We can reach Him at anytime, anywhere just by looking up. Please believe He’s always moving mountains on our behalf, providing us with what we need, and answering our prayers even before we speak a word. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. – Philippians 4:6 (ESV).


The one who is our Creator, knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what we are going to ask of Him, before we go into prayer. He knows our every thought before we do. He knows if we are going to praise Him or curse Him in our prayers before we even speak.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! – Psalm 27:14 (ESV). His plan for our lives has been in in the works even before we were in our mother’s womb. Everything in its own time. Who’s time, not ours, but His! It must be His time, the perfect time in which our lives are ever-changing, evolving, growing, and matters will unfold in a way we would have never imagined.


In my lifetime, I can attest that there have been hundreds, maybe thousands of times in my life where God’s plan took over control of my life, and I would have never guessed in a million years I would have ended up where I did as a result of His intervention. As we go through many life shifting circumstances, we, more times than not, find ourselves in a place where we would have never imagined the destination when we first began the journey.


And the beauty of all of this is trusting God along the way! He has always been with us every step of the way. He’s never left our side, even though we may feel He’s no where to be found in a moment of hopelessness and despair. He sees our heart; He wipes every tear; He too feel our every heartache. Nothing we go through hasn’t already passed through His hands; therefore, He knows what we are going to face before we do. But we must rest our hearts on God’s promises! We must fear no evil for He is our rod and our staff! We must accept this as truth; His faithfulness is everlasting.


A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows…Psalm 23:1-6 (ESV).


Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. – Philippians 4:6 (ESV).


As I trust God more, as I believe God more, as I draw deeper in my relationship with God, I know with certainty He is God alone! There are no other gods. He alone is all I need. I do believe in my deepest core that God is my potter, and I am His clay as He continues to mold and shape me for His glory, for His purpose, not mine. He has shown me what truly matters most. I don’t want to miss out on what God has planned for me because I am too busy chasing after worldly things.

What a wonderful feeling when I “Let God In,” and He brings peace to my soul. And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. – Isaiah 32:17 (ESV).


What joy it brings to my soul knowing that such a loving God has me in the palm of His right hand at all times. A wonderful feeling comes over me when I feel myself sitting on His lap, with His arms wrapped around me, and His still small voice whispers, “Be Still” my child, for I am your God who loves you beyond measure. He instantaneously removes my fear, doubt, anxiety, and my burning necessity to take control of matters when I don’t feel Him nearby. He throws all of this that is not of God into the deepest, darkest part of the pit to never return.

But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. – 1 Peter 3:4 (ESV).




To leave you with a thought, when you are scared, and you cannot see the end, remember the only thing that God needs of you is to “Be Still”! Seek Him and let Him move your mountains, let Him part the waters so you can walk through. Let Him pave the way for your life. Allow your quiet spirit to think about this, nothing is impossible with God, but everything feels impossible when we go it along without Him.


“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. – Lamentations 3:24-26 (ESV).


Blessings until next week,


Debra Pauli Unstoppable Believer


Scripture Quotes: Holy Bible: New International Version (NIV) / New King James (NKJ) / English Standard Version (ESV)

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Copyright © 2023 by Debra M. Pauli @ Pauli Publishing House (PPH) disclaimer: All rights reserved. No part of these writings may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission from the author.

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