Be Still and Know

Begin a transformative seven-week journey of untangling the internal knots that keep you bound in this premiere episode of Untangle. Based on Psalm 46:1-3, 10, we discover God's radical invitation to stillness over striving and learn to release our grip on control. Like Lazarus, who had new life but was still wrapped in grave clothes, we can have new life in Christ yet remain tangled in patterns that hold us back from experiencing the fullness of that life.

What You'll Learn:

• Why God invites us to stillness, not striving
• The difference between faithful stewardship and anxious control
• What Psalm 46's context reveals about trusting God in chaos
• Why stillness is so difficult and what it really means
• How to identify where you're striving instead of trusting
• A practical "untangle moment" to release control to God

God Invites Stillness, Not Striving: Everything in our world says if we want something to happen, we must make it happen—take charge, control the outcome. Yes, there's a place for responsibility and action, but there's a difference between faithful stewardship ("I'll do what's mine to do and trust God with the rest") and anxious control ("If I don't manage every detail, it will all fall apart"). One comes from trust, the other from fear. God's invitation is clear: Be still. Stop striving. Stop trying to control everything. Know that I am God—and you are not.

The Context of Psalm 46: The psalmist describes chaos—earth giving way, mountains moving, waters roaring, everything shaking. Real disaster, real crisis, the kind where your instinct is to panic, scramble, do something—anything—to regain control. Right in the middle of that chaos, God says: Be still. That seems counterintuitive; when everything falls apart, stillness feels irresponsible, even dangerous. But God isn't saying "be passive"—He's saying "stop trying to be God. Remember who I am. Remember I am your refuge and strength, present in your trouble." Stillness isn't inaction; it's trust in action, the hard work of letting go when every fiber wants to grip tighter.

Why Stillness Is So Hard: Stillness requires trust. Trust requires releasing control. Releasing control feels terrifying. When we're striving, managing, controlling, we feel like we're doing something, being productive, protecting ourselves from disaster. But all that striving is exhausting and mostly ineffective because the vast majority of what we're trying to control is actually outside our control anyway. You can't control other people, outcomes, the future, or even fully control yourself. But you can trust the One who is in control. That's what stillness is—not giving up but giving over, not quitting but surrendering, not being passive but being at peace because you know God is God.

Your Untangle Moment: Identify one area where you're striving to control the outcome, then practice "untangling" by consciously releasing it to God in stillness. Sit in silence 2-3 minutes (no phone, no distractions—the discomfort is part of untangling). Name the specific thing you're trying to control. Physically open your hands, palms up, as a symbolic act of release. Say out loud or write: "God, I release control of [specific situation]. You are God, and I am not." You'll probably feel resistance, the urge to grab it back—that's the tangle pulling tight. Sit with the discomfort. Practice the release. Trust that God is God, and you don't have to be.

Perfect for anyone struggling with control issues, anxiety about outcomes, difficulty trusting God, or feeling exhausted from constant striving.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 46:1-3, 10 Series: Untangle Week Theme: Untangle from the Need to Control

Discover God's invitation to stil