Shame over our past, shame over our failures, shame over our status in society, shame over the lack of fruit in our lives: all of this shame can drive us farther away from God if we let it hide who we were or are. We cannot allow lies about ourselves to plant seeds of doubt into our minds about the mighty ways that God has redeemed us and wiped away our shame.

Anything we have trouble accepting forgiveness for or have shame over will try to take hold of us, and we can doubt our worth and value as a brother or sister in Christ.  We can doubt what God says about us, and who He says we are as a redeemed Child of God.

Or… perhaps instead of doubting, we can simply trust and know. We can trust because He is God, and we can know because He tells us who we are in His Word.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”   Be still. Know that I am God. 

It sounds so simple, yet in this world of fast-paced living, how can we really whittle it down to these two calls to action?  Ironically, one of these calls to action is to stop action: be still. How often do we intentionally practice being still?  

One of the ways I purpose to practice being still is by devoting a set amount of time in prayer, Bible reading and quietness before the Lord every day.  As a mom to four young ones, quiet doesn’t just happen in this house. Over the years, it became a disciplined practice that I had to intentionally create space for in my days.  This time became so important and special to me that it is easy for me to wake early enough in order to get this quiet stillness with God each day because it became a high priority for me.  I saw the fruit in devoting my time instead of letting the day get away from me and wondering how I was going to find time for the creator of it. It became clear to me that if I thought this was important to God and important to me, then I would make it a priority in my day. 

In this time of being still, I have grown to know and deeply love the Lord.  I have grown to crave the Daily Bread of Bible reading every single day. The beautiful thing is that it’s in this time of being still that I have naturally come by the second call to action: know that I am God. 

When my time is spent with God and growing in relationship with Him, when it’s spent reading about who He is and learning about His character, it’s come quite naturally to me to know that He is God.  And in turn, if He really is God and is what I read about Him to be, then I can trust Him and who He has called me: His child.  I can trust the things He declares over His people because I can see through scripture that He is unchanging, He is loving, He is forgiving and merciful, He is joy, and He can be trusted! 

When I can purpose myself to be still (in quiet time with the Lord), I can know (trust His word) that He is God and when I can do that, I can feel the doubts that want to entangle my mind and hold me captive lose their grip.  I can see, trust, and know that God calls me redeemed (Romans 3:24). God calls me forgiven (Ephesians 1:7). God calls me free (Galatians 5:1). God calls me accepted (Romans 15:7). God calls me His child (John 1:12).  

I can stand firm and fast in the truth of who I am in Christ, without a doubt.  During worship at church recently, my hand raised up and my voice praised louder as I boldly declared the words to Hillsong Worship’s “Who You Say I Am” song:

Who am I that the highest King

Would welcome me?

I was lost but He brought me in

Oh His love for me

Oh His love for me

Who the Son sets free

Oh is free indeed

I’m a child of God

Yes I am 

I am chosen

Not forsaken

I am who You say I am

You are for me

Not against me

I am who you say I am

Praise God that by simply being still, we can know that He is God, we can trust Him and who He says we are.   For who the Son sets free, is free indeed – I am a Child of God, yes I am.

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Kayla Anderson is married (for better or for worse) to the one who she knows without a doubt that God created her to be companions with. Together they have four young children, Ezekiel, Asher, Ellery, and Alder, and run a hand-crafted soap shop. She is a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom and is in a season of learning how to gracefully be the central point and glue of their family. Thank the Lord that she has Him to look to for wisdom, guidance, and strength! She loves reading in the quiet, early morning hours, decorating their sweet little home, writing has been part of her soul since she learned how to write letters, and her love of coffee runs deeper than her coffee pot. You can find more from Kayla on her blog or Instagram.