Be Still, My Soul

When life doesn’t go the way we planned, it’s easy to become upset, discontented, even distrustful. Caregiving probably wasn’t part of our plans. But, inevitably, parents get older and need care. Spouses sometimes fall ill, requiring much of our time and energy. Children may have birth defects or contract serious diseases. Then we find ourselves in the hurry-up-and-wait world of caregiving.

Anxious thoughts beset us. Our dreams and plans are put on hold. We may wish we could be somewhere else. It can all add up to a restless soul, as we chafe at the unfairness of life.

But God asks us to quiet our spirits before Him, to submit to His will for us. We don’t have to be doormats, allowing ourselves and our loved ones to be pushed and shoved around at the whim of others. As people of God, however, we must wait expectantly for Him to work all things for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). Let’s follow the advice of the poet Katharina von Schlegel, who wrote the great hymn “Be Still, My Soul”:

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.