'Be Still, And Know That I am God': Psalm 46 (Patience)

Read Galatians 5:22-23:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Are you ready to make an investment in the Fruit of Patience?

Read Psalm 46:

"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 heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Select 'Successful' when you are finished.

What are your first impressions/reactions to this Psalm?

Write your answer in the space provided.

Go to 'DOCUMENTS' and read Oswald Chambers' observations on Psalm 46.

Select 'Successful' when you are finished.

Oswald states:

"Perseverance is more than endurance. It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for is going to happen. Perseverance means more than just hanging on, which may be only exposing our fear of letting go and falling."

How confident are you that the things you are looking for God to do will actually take place?

Oswald adds:

"Perseverance is our supreme effort of refusing to believe that our hero is going to be conquered."

Do you agree?

Oswald continues:

"Our greatest fear is not that we will be damned, but that somehow Jesus Christ will be defeated. Also, our fear is that the very things our Lord stood for— love, justice, forgiveness, and kindness among men— will not win out in the end and will represent an unattainable goal for us."

How much does this observation apply to you?

Oswald states:

"Then there is the call to spiritual perseverance. A call not to hang on and do nothing, but to work deliberately, knowing with certainty that God will never be defeated."

The next four steps will help you to build upon your current level of perseverance.

Are you ready do a little work right now?

Let's begin with Oswald's observation:

"If our hopes seem to be experiencing disappointment right now, it simply means that they are being purified."

How might God be using your current circumstances to purify your hopes and dreams?

Write your answer in the space provided.

Oswald adds:

"Every hope or dream of the human mind will be fulfilled if it is noble and of God. But one of the greatest stresses in life is the stress of waiting for God."

In regard to your ability to wait upon God, is there anything you would like to repent of (express your sorrow)?

If so, you can do so privately or in the space provided.

"He brings fulfillment, “because you have kept My command to persevere...” (Revelation 3:10)."

Quiet yourself and imagine that Jesus, the Lord God Almighty, is before you.

-Imagine Him sitting at the right hand of God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.
-See Him possessing all the power and authority to overcome and redeem every force of the enemy, the world and your own sin nature.
-See Him with the power to do anything He wants, anytime He wants to do it, according to His perfect will which is holy love.
-Finally, see Him overcoming every force of evil in your life to fulfill every promise He has made to you.

Concerning your current difficulties, He says: 'Be still, and know that I am God."

How would you respond to Him?

Regarding building your perseverance, Is there anything you would like to praise or thank God for?

If so, you can do so privately or in the space provided.

How much has this Trail increased the level of patience in your current disposition?