Be Still and Trust God: Finding Peace in the Storm When You Can’t Fix It Yourself

Have you ever felt like you were drowning in circumstances beyond your control? Maybe it was a health crisis, a broken relationship, a job loss, or the overwhelming pressure of life simply not turning out the way you hoped.

In moments like these, it’s natural to want to do something. Anything. We look for solutions. We strategize. We lose sleep trying to figure out how to hold everything together.

But sometimes, God calls us to something that feels completely unnatural: stillness.

Today, I want to encourage you—if you are tired of striving and worn out from worry—there is a different way to live. A way marked by peace, trust, and surrender.

Let’s explore what it really means to be still and let God fight for you.

🌊 What Does “Be Still” Really Mean?

If you grew up in church, you may have heard the phrase Be still and know that I am God so often that it’s become almost a cliché. But in Scripture, stillness is never about apathy or disengagement.

Stillness is an intentional choice to release the burden of control and rest in God’s unshakable sovereignty.

It means:

• You stop the frantic mental spin cycle of “What if?” and “How will this work out?”

• You refuse to let fear call the shots.

• You trust that God is working, even when you can’t see it.

Stillness isn’t the same as inaction. Sometimes God will show you clear steps to take—but you’ll take them from a place of calm trust instead of anxious striving.

💛 An Example: Martha and Mary

Think about the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38–42.

Martha was busy—preparing food, hosting, trying to make everything perfect. She was doing good things, but her heart was restless and distracted.

Mary, on the other hand, sat at Jesus’ feet. She was still. She listened. She simply received His presence.

Jesus told Martha, “You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.”

Sometimes, like Martha, we are “worried and upset about many things.” Stillness reminds us there is only one thing we truly need: closeness to Jesus.

🌿 Powerful Scriptures About Stillness and Trust

Here are some verses that show the power of stillness and surrender:

💧 Exodus 14:14 (NIV)

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Imagine the Israelites trapped between Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea. They had no power to save themselves. God parted the waters after they stopped panicking and trusted Him.

💧 Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

This is an invitation to release the illusion of control. When you are still, you can see God’s greatness more clearly.

💧 Mark 4:39 (NIV)

“Peace! Be still!”

Jesus spoke these words over a raging sea—and He can speak them over the storms inside your heart, too.

💧 Philippians 4:6–7 (NIV)

“Do not be anxious about anything… and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

🌱 What Does Stillness Look Like in Real Life?

Being still doesn’t always mean sitting in silence for hours (although quiet time is powerful).

Sometimes stillness looks like this:

• Choosing not to send that angry text or email, but instead praying before you respond.

• Going to bed on time, trusting that God is working while you sleep.

• Releasing your child, spouse, or friend to God’s care, instead of trying to fix them.

• Showing up to work, doing your best, but not letting your identity be defined by success or failure.

✨ My Own Story of Surrender

There was a season in my life when I was desperately trying to control everything. I prayed, but my prayers were really anxious monologues: “God, You have to do this now! If You don’t, I don’t know what I’ll do!”

I was exhausted and overwhelmed.

One morning, I read Exodus 14:14: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

It felt like God was whispering, “Will you let Me handle this? Will you trust that I am big enough?”

That day, I prayed a simple prayer:

“Lord, I surrender. I trust You to fight for me.”

Nothing changed overnight. But slowly, my heart shifted. The peace that Scripture promises began to guard my mind.

And eventually, God worked things out in ways I never could have orchestrated myself.

There are still so many times when life feels out of control and I get frantic but somehow the Holy Spirits reminds me, carries me and brings me to a place of surrender and rest as I learn each time to rely on Him. God wants us in that place of rest and surrender always.

🕊️ How to Practice Stillness

Here are some practical ways you can learn to be still:

✅ Release Control

Pray, “God, I trust You. I surrender this situation to You.”

Visualize placing it in His hands.

✅ Pause Before Reacting

When you feel anxious or angry, take a moment to breathe and ask God for wisdom.

✅ Speak God’s Word

Post verses around your home or set reminders on your phone.

✅ Rest

Sometimes the holiest thing you can do is take a nap, trusting that God never sleeps.

✅ Stay Faithful

Keep doing what He has already shown you, but leave the outcome to Him.

🌟 A Heart Posture of Trust

Being still is not passive.

It’s an active choice to:

❤️ Surrender instead of striving

❤️ Trust instead of worrying

❤️ Rest instead of performing

This is the heart posture that God blesses.

💬 A Prayer for Stillness and Peace

Father, I am tired of trying to hold everything together. I confess my need to control. I lay down my anxiety and my striving. Teach me to be still and know that You are God. Fill me with Your peace that surpasses understanding. I trust You to fight for me and to work all things for good. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

🌼 Friend, You Can Rest

If you are weary, take courage: You don’t have to fix it all yourself.

The God who calmed the wind and the waves is with you in this storm.

Be still.

Let Him fight for you.

And trust that His peace is stronger than any fear.

If this post encouraged you, share it with someone who needs hope today. You are not alone.