Last night I was mulling over this phrase that just kept running around in my head.  “Be still…” I couldn’t quite get my thoughts down in a way I thought anyone else would understand.  It struck me that the verse I knew with much familiarity was “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him,” (Psalm 37:7a), but that there are others that include the phrase “be still and…”  I kept thinking to myself…how am I ever going to get to the promise portion of the verse when I can’t even accomplish the first two words?  The fact that I’m sitting here writing this at midnight while working on a middle school band fundraiser is evidence of this struggle.  It hit me that the patience and the blessings that are promised would only be available to me in my sleep at the rate I’m going – and then I can’t enjoy them!

But seriously, the phrase just kept sticking with me, and today I found out why.  The day was hectic as usual, but I just had this awareness that God has been blessing us lately, helping us get some things in order that have seemed a little haphazard lately, helping us make decisions and confirming those decisions… Late this morning (Wed) my better half called and asked me to send my resume’ over, his boss was going to hand deliver it to another department and put in a good word for me.  Then about 2-1/2 hours later I got a call from another company I recently sent my resume’ to, asking me to come for an interview.  And all the blessings of the past few weeks became crystal clear.

Unfortunately, along with this second call for an interview came a sense of  overwhelming….panic.  I don’t particularly want the job, it’s as far away as my current job (although in the opposite direction of traffic headaches), but the pay would be decent and I’d be able to get out from under a job/place I’m becoming increasingly disenchanted with.  I really want the job where J works, 4 miles from the house with great pay and less responsibility, but have no idea when I might get a call from them.  So I was freaking out, trying to figure out what was going on, what God was trying to do to me, should I go for the interview, etc.

I finally caught J at a moment when he could offer a piece of advice.  He said “Be anxious for nothing…” and I finished the verse as well as I could in my head.  Since I don’t have any strangers visiting yet, it won’t be a surprise to anyone that this is a tough verse for me. I want control of all situations at all times.  Everything planned out and planned for.  But within an hour or so God settled my frantic mind and reminded me that if I would just let Him have control, He’d work it all together for good.

I just looked up the rest of that passage J hit me with on Bible Gateway (http://www.biblegateway.com/).  Philippians 4:4-7 says:   4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Be still…..do not be anxious about anything…present your requests with thanksgiving (I love the promise in that)…and the PEACE of GOD will…….Amen!