Be still, and know that I am God.

~Psalm 46:10 NIV

Hummingbirds fly fast. In fact, their wings beat seventy to eighty times per second and up to two hundred times per second when they are diving. They seem tireless and always on the move. They know the discipline of self-control.

My granddaughter, Ade, reminds me of a hummingbird with her constant dancing about and unceasing chattering. Getting her to sit for a meal or do a craft is a never-ending process. Her mind whirls from morning to night, and her body keeps up with it. So, we have begun to work on a new discipline: self-control in the form of being still. A couple of times a day, we take five to ten minutes and practice the art of self-control by being still, quiet, and calm.

The psalmist understood this type of self-control. In Psalm 46, he begins with these words: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”

What a wonderful and fearsome picture these words paint. How absolutely terrifying such an experience involving these types of natural disasters would be to any human being. Yet, the psalmist does not begin with the terrifying but with the wonderful: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble, now and forever. Therefore, we will not fear.

But how can we escape fear amidst moments or seasons of great distress and upheaval, times of grief and uncertainty? Today’s scripture reading answers this question. God speaks this command: Be still, and know that I am God.

As God’s people, when we practice the discipline of self-control by learning to be still within ourselves, the Holy Spirit can quietly remind us of God’s truths: He is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. God abides with us and will never forsake us. He is the One who watches over us and has wonderful plans for our lives. God is trustworthy and faithful–the one who grants wisdom for the asking and guides and directs us as we remain still and look to Him. Learning to be still allows us to hear His voice amidst the chaos and disasters we might encounter.

We do not know what today may bring. However, we can know that as we practice the art of being still and staying calm within, God will be enough in the midst of it.

Think of some ways you can learn the discipline of self-control.

Father God, thank You for being ever-present and dependable. Teach me to be still and know that You alone are God. In Christ’s name, amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2025: The Discipline of Self-Control: Lynne Phipps: All Rights Reserved