Be Still by the Waters
I don’t know about you, but when I finally have the opportunity to stop and relax—perhaps on holiday or during a quiet retreat—it often takes my mind far longer to arrive than my body. The space for stillness is there, yet something within keeps churning. Like water after a storm, the surface may look calm, but underneath the currents keep moving.
It’s then that I hear the gentle words of Katharina von Schlegel’s hymn, “Be still, my soul! the Lord is on your side”, and realise how easily peace can feel just out of reach. The hymn does not deny grief, pain, or thorny paths; instead, it invites us to trust that God is present in every change, faithfully leading us through.
Psalm 46:10 echoes this call: “Be still, and know that I am God.” This is not simply an invitation to relax; it is a summons to stop striving, to loosen our grip on control, and to recognise God’s sovereignty above all chaos. Like standing by deep waters, we are asked to pause, to listen, and to remember who truly holds the tide.
Illustration
Imagine a lake early in the morning. Overnight winds have stirred it, but as dawn breaks the water begins to settle. The stillness doesn’t come because the lake tries harder—it comes because the winds have ceased. In the same way, stillness of soul is not something we manufacture; it is something we receive when we allow God to quiet the forces that drive us.
Challenge
This week, find a moment to sit by water—real or imagined. A river, a bath, a glass of water on the table. As you look, breathe slowly and pray the words, “Be still.” Resist the urge to fill the silence. Let God be God.
Prayer
Faithful God,
when my thoughts churn like troubled waters,
teach me to be still.
Still my striving, calm my fears,
and help me trust your faithful presence
in every change.
Lead me, even through thorny ways,
into the deep peace that comes from knowing
you are God.
Amen.
