Dust from the Wind

Dust from the Wind

“Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah” (Psalm 4:4 – New King James Version).

I was lying in bed one night reading a book. I felt like I had just stepped out of a whirlwind. My day had been so busy that I barely had time to think. It was great just to sit still for a few moments and reflect on my very busy day. I looked up at the ceiling fan, which was off for the first time in months as it was the first cool night of the fall. Have you ever noticed how much dirt collects on the fan blades? As I lay there, I found that the fan and I had much in common. It had been so busy spinning that it had collected a lot of real dust and I had been so full of activity that I had collected a bunch of real anxiety.

When David wrote this Psalm he was on the run. His son, Absalom, was taking over David’s kingdom. The two had not spoken for five years. You can find these happenings in David’s life in 2 Samuel 13-18. I say all this to help us understand that the Psalmist understood anxiety.

David, by this time, had already gone through his affair with Bathsheba. He had fought wars. He had been promoted from sheep herder to king. The father of David’s best friend had tried to murder David. Now, his family, job, ministry, and life in general was in absolute mayhem. He KNEW anxiety!

How had David learned to deal with it? His advice was simple. Allow me a paraphrase of our focus verse; “You’re going to get mad from time to time. Don’t let your anger lead you to sin. Get still, go to a quiet place, and think about what’s going on.” Once David got quiet, he concentrated on God. The four verses after verse four, David ascribes praise to God. He says to trust God (vs 5); he asked God to show His face (vs 6); David praises God for the gifts of joy and abundant provision (vs 7); he recognizes God as protector.

Friend, that’s the key…we need to be still and know He is God! Like the fan, we just keep going and going and going. Before we realize what has happened, we are laden down with a seemingly unbearable load. Let’s learn from David’s vast experience of trouble. By this point in his life, David had realized that the best thing for him to do was get calm and think things through.

So, my friend, are you in a whirlwind? Are you collecting spiritual dust? Stop, get quiet, get still, and experience tranquility by the power and Spirit of God.