Day 5: Be Still and Know

40 Days of Prayer & Fasting

Prayer Focus: Stillness & Listening

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

Over the first four days, we have intentionally focused on preparing our hearts.

Day 1: Lord, search me.
Day 2: Lord, cleanse me.
Day 3: Lord, I surrender.
Day 4: Lord, I want more of You.

Today, I want us to do something that can sometimes be difficult:

Be still.

Prayer is not only about speaking to God. There are times when we need to stop talking, quiet everything around us, and simply become attentive to His presence.

If we're going to spend these 40 days asking God to lead us, then we also need to learn how to listen.

The Noise Can Drown Out His Voice

We live surrounded by noise.

Phones. Notifications. Social media. News. Work. Responsibilities. Opinions. Conversations. Schedules.

And then there is the noise happening inside of us.

Our thoughts.

Our worries.

Our plans.

Our fears.

Our questions about tomorrow.

Sometimes we come into prayer carrying all of that noise, give God our list, say amen, and immediately move on to the next thing.

But what if God wants us to stay?

What if He wants our attention more than our words?

Psalm 46:10 gives us a simple command:

“Be still…”

There are moments when faith looks like action.

And there are moments when faith looks like becoming still enough to remember who God is.

Elijah Learned to Listen

In 1 Kings 19, Elijah experienced a powerful wind, an earthquake, and a fire.

But the Lord wasn't in those things.

Afterward came what Scripture describes as “the sound of a low whisper.” (1 Kings 19:12 ESV)

God did not have to compete with the noise.

Elijah had to become attentive enough to hear Him.

I wonder how often we're looking for God in something dramatic while He is trying to speak to us in the quiet.

We want the unmistakable sign.

We want the dramatic answer.

We want God to make everything obvious.

But sometimes His invitation is simply:

Come closer and listen.

Don't Let Prayer Become a Monologue

Prayer is relationship.

And healthy relationships involve both speaking and listening.

We should absolutely bring our needs before God. Scripture teaches us to ask, seek, knock, intercede, and make our requests known.

But there should also be moments when we stop asking and simply say:

“Speak, Lord.”

Samuel learned this as a young man.

“Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.” (1 Samuel 3:9 ESV)

Notice the posture behind those words.

Samuel wasn't merely asking God to speak.

He was positioning himself to listen.

That's what I want us to practice today.

We Need to Hear Him in This Season

This is especially important for Harvest.

There are many voices that could influence what we do next.

There are opinions.

There are preferences.

There are opportunities.

There are financial considerations.

There are practical considerations.

There are things that make sense on paper.

Those things can be important, but none of them can replace hearing from God.

As we prepare for new territory, our prayer must be:

“Lord, what are You saying?”

Not simply, “What do we want?”

Not simply, “What makes the most sense?”

Not simply, “What is easiest?”

What is the Lord saying?

Jesus said:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
John 10:27 ESV

Notice the progression.

Hear. Know. Follow.

Before we can follow His direction, we must become attentive to His voice.

Don't Be Afraid of the Silence

Silence can feel uncomfortable.

We are accustomed to filling every empty space.

But you don't have to manufacture something during quiet prayer.

You don't have to force yourself to hear a voice.

You don't have to create an answer.

Simply become still before God.

Open His Word.

Wait.

Listen.

Let the Holy Spirit bring Scripture to your remembrance.

Allow Him to search your thoughts.

And if nothing dramatic happens, that's okay.

You have still spent time in the presence of God.

Our goal isn't an experience.

Our goal is Him.

Today's Prayer Focus

Quiet My Heart
Ask the Lord to silence the distractions, anxieties, and competing voices within you.

Make Me Sensitive
Ask the Holy Spirit to make you increasingly sensitive to His leading.

Help Me Recognize Your Voice
Pray for discernment to distinguish God's leading from your own desires and the voices around you.

Speak to Harvest
Ask God to give our church clarity and unity concerning the season ahead.

Make Me Quick to Obey
Hearing God means very little if we aren't willing to respond when He speaks.

Today's Prayer

Father, quiet my heart before You.

There are so many voices competing for my attention, but I want to hear Yours.

Teach me to become still in Your presence. Remove the distractions and quiet the fears, worries, plans, and opinions that make it difficult for me to listen.

Holy Spirit, make me sensitive to Your leading. Help me recognize Your voice through Your Word and follow You with obedience.

Speak to Harvest in this season. Give us clarity where we need clarity. Give us patience where we need to wait. Give us courage when You tell us to move.

Don't allow us to become so busy planning where we are going that we fail to listen to the One who is leading us.

Today, I choose to become still before You.

Speak, Lord. I am listening.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Additional Scriptures

1 Kings 19:11–13 — Elijah and the low whisper.

1 Samuel 3:1–10 — Samuel learning to recognize God's voice.

John 10:27 — His sheep hear His voice and follow Him.

Isaiah 30:21 — Hearing direction concerning the way to walk.

Psalm 25:4–5 — Asking God to teach us His paths.

Today's Challenge

Find 10 minutes of complete silence today.

No phone.

No music.

No television.

No list of requests.

Open your Bible, become still before the Lord, and begin with four words:

“Speak, Lord. I'm listening.”

Then give Him your attention.

Day 1: Lord, search me.
Day 2: Lord, cleanse me.
Day 3: Lord, I surrender.
Day 4: Lord, I want more of You.
Day 5: Lord, I'm listening.