Be Quiet

Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted.

Be still, and know that I am God.

Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?

He will not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established.

-Isaiah 7:4, Psalm 46:10, John 11:40, Psalm 112:7-8

“He will be fine,” said the innkeeper, “Mothers always worry the most.”

You don’t know our story, I thought wearily as I set my luggage down.

Five hours and three hundred miles earlier I’d been sitting in a parking lot, immobilized. Unable to leave my youngest son behind until I’d made a decision.

Would I trust the Lord?

After a good ugly cry, I decided I would.

This scene is all too familiar to me.

We have had to be brave. It was exactly two years ago that we visited this dream university, the culinary school our son hoped to attend one day. Within weeks of our return home, he was critically injured in a kitchen fire. As the doctors worked to save his life, I had to decide if I would trust the Lord. I did not want to. I was angry and terrified. 

After a night of wrestling, weeping, and shouting, I chose to trust. It was not an emotional choice; my emotions urged me not to trust. It was a mental, gritty, determined, decision. My mind commanded my emotions, led my body to take the next step. And one step at a time, we walked together through the healing process. 

We are still walking, one step at a time.

It is not an overstatement to call today a miracle as our son settles into college at age seventeen, his dream come true.

And as for me, I have chosen again. I must. I will be quiet. I will trust the Lord.

How upside-down this walk of faith is. How counter-intuitive, oxymoronic, juxtaposed. God speaks stillness to us when our heart is racing and our hands itch to do something to fix things. He tells us to stop and sit when our feet are laced up and ready to run. He bids us know only one thing when our minds are ravenous to know all things.

In the crescendo of chaos, He stills us. To the greatly distressed He gives great calm. God establishes our wobbly hearts and quiets our riotous minds when we choose to #trust Him. #faithoverfear Share on X

This promise anchors the present and ensures the future. The one who trusts Him will not fear evil tidings. Her heart is established on one thing: I know He is God. That is all, and that is enough.

Is your heart reeling today, your mind racing? Take time to be quiet and sit awhile. Make the good choice to trust Him. You won’t regret it. He is truly a miracle-working God.

Lord, I choose to trust You today, even with my most precious treasures. Especially with those. Amen.

@audreycfrank