November 12th, 2026
Today's Scripture: Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Have you ever noticed how difficult it can be to sit quietly?
Not because anything is wrong. Just because we're so accustomed to noise. There's always something to listen to. Something to watch. Something to check on our phones. Even when things are quiet around us, our minds don't necessarily cooperate.
Psalm 46 describes a world filled with instability. The earth gives way. Nations are in turmoil. Trouble surrounds God's people. And in the middle of it all, we're reminded that God is our refuge and strength.
Then comes the invitation in verse 10 to be still and know that He is God. Notice that the psalm doesn't promise that everything troubling us will immediately disappear. It reminds us who God is in the midst of it.
I think that's worth remembering as we practice discernment. We're not trying to create enough silence that God will finally give us the answer we're looking for.
We're learning to be present with the God who is already present with us.
Today's Practice: Silence
Read Psalm 46.
Then put away your phone, turn off the music and spend five minutes in silence.
You might find yourself distracted. That's fine. When you notice your mind wandering, gently return your attention to God.
Don't feel the need to fill every moment with words.
Allow yourself to be still.
And remember who God is.
Not because anything is wrong. Just because we're so accustomed to noise. There's always something to listen to. Something to watch. Something to check on our phones. Even when things are quiet around us, our minds don't necessarily cooperate.
Psalm 46 describes a world filled with instability. The earth gives way. Nations are in turmoil. Trouble surrounds God's people. And in the middle of it all, we're reminded that God is our refuge and strength.
Then comes the invitation in verse 10 to be still and know that He is God. Notice that the psalm doesn't promise that everything troubling us will immediately disappear. It reminds us who God is in the midst of it.
I think that's worth remembering as we practice discernment. We're not trying to create enough silence that God will finally give us the answer we're looking for.
We're learning to be present with the God who is already present with us.
Today's Practice: Silence
Read Psalm 46.
Then put away your phone, turn off the music and spend five minutes in silence.
You might find yourself distracted. That's fine. When you notice your mind wandering, gently return your attention to God.
Don't feel the need to fill every moment with words.
Allow yourself to be still.
And remember who God is.
1 Comment
I hadn’t realized how long five minutes is until trying to be silent and focus among the noise of the nearby traffic. It was a fantastic exercise for me as I had to keep pulling my thoughts away from the noise and back to God, the church and her future. Thank you!