“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! — Psalm 46:10
Stillness is hard to weather, especially during tough times. Men are wired to act. Fix. Solve. Push ahead. But the trail teaches restraint. Sometimes the wisest move is to stop, observe, and listen. God says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Stillness isn’t inactivity—it’s attentiveness to your surroundings.
When you move down the trail at a quick pace, you miss everything that’s happening around you. God may be at work, but you have your eyes and mind fixed elsewhere. Don’t mistake movement for progress. Noise drowns out wisdom. Hurry, clouds judgment. God’s direction is frequently missed, not because He is silent, but because we are too loud.
Listening to that still small voice before acting protects a man from unnecessary detours. It teaches him to move with purpose instead of impulse. Stillness creates space for clarity.
application
Listening requires more attention and less movement. Many missteps in life happen because we refuse to slow down long enough to seek direction. On the trail, rushing forward without checking the terrain often leads to unnecessary detours, wasted energy, or avoidable danger. Spiritually, the same is true.
Stillness trains a man to trust God’s leadership instead of his own urgency. It creates space for discernment—space to recognize when fear is driving a decision, when pride is shaping a response, or when God is quietly redirecting the path—a man who listens first acts with clarity instead of impulse.
God often speaks through Scripture, conviction, and quiet nudges that are easy to miss when life is loud. Stillness realigns the heart with truth and restores perspective. When a man learns to pause, listen, and wait on God, his steps become fewer—but stronger.
Live it out
Today, build a pause into your routine. Sign out. Put the phone down. Sit quietly before God and ask Him to guide your next steps. Don’t rush the silence. Listen for conviction, clarity, or restraint. Move—only after you’ve listened.
pray this…
“Father, that I would find more comfort sitting at your feet then rushing down the trail alone.”
Photo by Michiel Annaert on Unsplash
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Information lays the foundation—
Practice builds the man.
