I’m sure I’ve written about this before, but my favorite translation of Psalm 46:10 is the NASB. It reads, “Cease striving and know that I am God…” Many versions say “be still,” and while I find that helpful, something about the phrase “cease striving” makes so much sense. Sadly, as much sense as it makes, I still find myself trying to figure things out on my own far too often.

I am in the process of sorting out a new place to live. I currently live in a house with two other ladies, and nice as that is, it feels like time to move into my own place where I can offer hospitality to visitors and teams who come to serve this city.

I started feeling it was time to start asking around about places in November. Since that time, God has answered every prayer I’ve prayed in relation to the house and even a few I hadn’t thought to pray yet! He has provided time and time again, and He keeps showing up in ways I could never expect.

A number of weeks ago, I was told a lady from my church in Belfast is moving and would like to give me some of her furniture for the new house. Last week, I learned that I would need to sort out getting the furniture moved across the country within a couple of weeks. (For my friends in the States, this journey is less than 100 miles, so don’t picture moving things across the U.S.)

Despite the relatively short distance, I was freaking out about how to arrange to rent a van, find someone to drive (and someone else to help load and unload), find a place to store the large items until the house is ready, etc. I was nearly pulling my hair out and feeling rather stressed. I kept telling myself to calm down and trust God, but that is so often easier said than done.

Within a day, Exodus 14:14 had been brought up at least twice in conversation and readings. “The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.” Be still… cease striving. If the Israelites could be expected to do that while stuck between a sea and an army, surely I could trust God to make a way for furniture to be moved.

And as I relaxed, stopped trying to sort out all the details myself, and waited to see what God would do, He did indeed make a way. Through the generosity of some of His people, I was able to hire someone to collect the furniture from it’s current house and deliver it to the place I will have it stored until the house is ready to move into in the coming weeks.

As I’ve been reading through the first few books of the Bible this year, I’ve gotten so frustrated at how quickly God’s people forgot all that He did for them and began to grumble or look for provision outside of Him. And yet, I am just like them. How quickly I start to stress and strive to make things happen, despite knowing that this has been God’s thing from the start. Lord, help me to trust you, to cease striving and to know/remember that You are God, and You’ve got this.