Is Striving Stealing Your Life?

Hello, my Chosen and Crowned sisters! I pray you are seeing God in your week and are taking some time to soak in his presence! If there’s one thing I know, it’s this – if we want to be strong in the roles God has placed us in, we must tear ourselves away from the pressure to be in constant motion. We must get determined about removing distractions and quieting ourselves before God.

We must get still.

You are probably familiar with the verse, “Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10).” But, I love the translation that says, “Cease striving and know that I am God” (New American Standard 1977).

Cease striving. How do we know when we’re striving? A good indication is when you feel like you are struggling, fighting or forcing a certain outcome by working just a little harder.

Striving is your flesh telling you to do just a little more. Striving says, “You’ve got this.”

Stillness is your flesh humbling itself before God. Stillness says, “God’s got this.”

Friend, your enemy, the devil, wants to see you exhausted, frustrated and too busy for God. He wants to put you in bondage to over-packed schedules, never ending to-do lists, and the pressure to be more and do more. The devil loves when you’re so stressed out that you cannot enjoy your kids, your husband, your job, or your life. Jesus warns us, “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10a).

I’m convinced that our striving is stealing our life from us. It’s stealing our joy of being a mom, a wife, and a daughter of God. And it’s limiting God from working mightily on our behalf and on behalf of those we love.

We must get still.

We must behold him, the Great I Am.

If we are to cease striving, this means we’re going to have to surrender the belief that the outcome depends on us. Over what things in your life are you finding yourself exhausted and stressed out? In whatever areas you’ve identified, God is calling you to trust him. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

To “know” and “acknowledge” God means knowing and owning the fact that God is sovereign and does whatever he pleases. God is unchangeable in his nature, purposes, promises, and covenant. He is omnipotent (all-powerful) and is able to help you and deliver you, even at the last moment. He is omniscient (all-knowing) and knows your desires, your circumstances, your troubles. He is all-wise and does all things according to his perfect will. He makes all things work together for your good and is faithful to his word and promise. And although you may be hard pressed on every side, God will not allow you to be crushed. You will walk out victorious. Why?

Because, my beautiful friend, you are his Chosen and Crowned. Be still.

Anna Frye is a speaker, author, television host and founder of the Chosen and Crowned tribe. She invites moms and wives to celebrate imperfect progress fueled by the grace of a perfect God. She helps women bravely talk about the messy places of life, instead of hiding shamefully under them. She believes that lasting beauty comes when women courageously surrender their ashes to God and allow him to do something mind-blowingly amazing with them. If this resonates with you, then you belong with the Chosen and Crowned tribe. Connect at www.ChosenAndCrowned.com/blog