Being Still in the Middle of Chaos

            Today, we have the world at our fingertips and that comes at a price.

            We’re constantly in motion and bombarded with news stories, such as the shootings that happened in Chicago, Kenya, and D.C. this past week or all the latest info on what happening in Hollywood (even if we don’t want to hear it). Not only do we have access to knowledge about everything that’s going on in our world, we have phones that keep us connected to people 24/7. Everything from Facebook to Twitter to Instagram to Tumbler allows us to tell others about our lives and read about others’ at lightning speed. Now, I not only get assignments during class at my school, I also get them by email on the weekends and my boss emails me, too.

            In addition to staying in touch with the world news and the various people in our life (or at least “friends” on social media sites), we have the ability to listen to music no matter where we go and not to mention the wide variety of TV shows right at our fingertips.

            My point is that with so much “stuff” going on in our lives it’s easy to get distracted from what’s important. It’s easy to run through our days without noticing the elderly lady who’s lonely or in need of help crossing the road. It’s easy to forget to spend actual time with the people who are with us in the flesh. It’s so easy to not even realize that the sky was crystal clear today because we constantly go and we’re hardly ever 

still. We hardly ever rest, and this constant motion many times keeps us from the life source:

            God.

            Our God, our refuge in the storm, in the chaos, in the everyday rushes of life, wants us to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10, NIV).

            He is still God. The never changing One who is the Great I am. He is the One who never changes, who sustains life, forgives, loves, and brings justice.

            For all that He has done for us, He deserves to be recognized everyday as we’re still before Him and acknowledge that there was never and never will be any God beside Him.

            He is the One who was and is and is to come (Rev. 4:8).

            Be still today and know Him. Know that He is still God even when we fail to be still before Him. He never fails and never changes. He knows you and longs to be known. 

Living Life Together,

Rebecca A. Thomas 

Just Breathe for a Second

            Your alarm goes off.

            It’s not even light outside, but it’s time to get up for another week that will be busy. Work, school, cooking, taking care of children, running errands, grocery shopping, bill paying, and so many other necessary tasks probably dangle in front of you this coming week. And, I'm sure some of you are facing sickness, heartaches, financial crises, and circumstances that I can't even fathom like war and persecution that could take your life, and in addition to all of these obligations and unfortunate circumstances, stress often is a close companion.

            I, personally, get so consumed by my day-to-day tasks or circumstances that I forget to “just breathe for a second.” Every single page I have to read for school or that errand I have to run or that phone call to a friend I completely forgot to return clouds my thoughts so entirely that I’m surprised I remember to take a shower some days (luckily for the world, that hasn’t happened yet).

            Many mornings, I wake up, take a shower, pack a lunch, eat (if I have time), fix my hair, brush my teeth, try to clean my room, grab my stuff for the day, and search for my keys (Yes, I have to hunt for them. I swear they run away). These mornings that I’m describing usually lead into a hectic day of me desperate for a break, for a second to just pause, and then, I remember I’m probably living out of my own strength on these days. It just doesn’t seem to work that well.  

            When I fail to pause and remember who God is, I usually forget who I am in Him in return. God is our comforter. He is our provider, our refuge, our stronghold, our deliverer, our friend, and our Savior. He is the One who fights for us. He is our strength when we are weak.

            He is our load bearer; so, go ahead and give Him your yoke and take His yoke (burden) because His yoke is easy and His burden is light (NIV, Matt. 11:30). He is the Peacemaker and the one true King.
         
            He is omniscient, which means even when you think He doesn’t, He has everything under control and He knows and cares for your needs.

            You. Well, you are loved (John 3:16, Romans 5:8). You are known (Psalm 139). In Him, you are redeemed and forgiven (1 John 1:9). You are not alone (Isaiah 41:10). You are wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). And, you are His child (1 John 3:1). Take courage from that today.

            So, today, as a song by one of my favorite bands Will Reagan and the United Pursuit Band says, “take a moment to remember who God is and who [You are],” and He will lift your "load."¹

               Don't take on this world by yourself. 

                                                                                                                                    Living Life Together,

Rebecca Thomas

¹Will Reagan and the United Pursuit Band. "Take a Moment." Endless Years. Song Lyrics. SongLyrics, 2013. Web. 1 Sept. 2013.