Permission to Be Still

                You have permission to stop whatever you’re doing and take a deep breath, and rest.

 Gulp in the refreshing air of silencing the incessant calls to do more, be more, work harder, get ahead, meet new people, try new things. You have permission to just be. Be secure in where you are—its getting you to where you need to be and it IS where you need to be right now. You don’t have to tackle that “to-do” list, send that email, check social media every hour, plan the weeks’ worth of coffee dates—you can set your pen down, unplug, stay home in sweats. What you do is not who you are.


WHAT you do is not who you are. What YOU do is not who you are. What you DO is not who you are. What you do IS not who you are. What you do is NOT who you are. What you do is not WHO you are. What you do is not you who YOU are. What you do is not who you ARE.

Get it?


                We are so culturally and I think innately, driven to define ourselves by our roles-nearly every person’s self-description starts with relational or occupational roles—teacher, daughter, friend, wife, etc. All these facets of who we are tug at our heartstrings—failing daily at their promise to fulfill, complete, satisfy our longing to be appreciated, known, applauded, loved completely. You see—what you do, the roles you have—are not who you are. Those roles and relationships can change in an instant—people move, marry, quit, die. We outwardly chase the wind of others approval and inwardly chide ourselves on what—on who—we’re not—forgetting all that we are.

                As I snuggled one of the many new born babies around me—I was struck that this baby has done nothing to merit love or approval—his accomplishments are excrement and loud, adamant exclamations of his needs—and a demand for them to be met asap. Yet, this baby is loved, cherished, adored, celebrated. And somewhere between birth and adulthood we forget that. We forget that we are loved just for being. That what we do—and thank ya Jesus even our mistakes—are not who we are. This frees us from the rat race and settles our souls. The quiet, reassuring voice that if we take time to listen to reminds us of his love, provision, grace, approval, and adoration for his babies—is waiting for us to be still.  Just like he called to His people, he calls to us to remember that “The Lord will fight for you, You need only be still” (Exodus 14:14).

                You have permission to rest today.  He is fighting for you. Fighting for you to remember that you are loved because you exist, not because of what you do. He is fighting to release your heart from the pain of striving, of failure, of fear. He is fighting FOR you. And that is plenty reason to rest today.