Be Still and Know That I Am God

Hi, I’m Angie. I’m a Christian author, blogger, artist, songwriter, pastor’s wife, mom, and grandma – but my grandkids call me Mimi – and I love it. I would like to share a testimony about hearing God’s voice and visiting my local optometrist office. How do those 2 topics fit together? Keep reading and I will tell you!

I want to share a recent experience that highlighted how to hear God’s voice and act upon it. One morning last month, during my Bible reading, the Lord made it clear that “He didn’t want me to walk away from difficult situations anymore but to face challenges head on.”

This heavenly guidance was dropped into my spirit while I was reading the book of Numbers, in the Old Testament. I truly valued this corrective guidance, as I recognized the specific challenge in my life. I tend to leave conversations, difficult situations, or hard tasks whenever they become tough.

Here are some Bible verses that support this concept of confronting challenges directly:

• Joshua 1:9 (KJV) “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” 

• Philippians 4:13 (KJV) “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

• Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

• 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV) “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

A particularly bad habit of mine is to storm off when I disagree with my husband or avoid someone at work, church, or in the community to evade tension. Likewise, I often procrastinate on tasks that I find unappealing instead of facing them directly. Don’t I sound human?!

On that particular morning, my husband and I were discussing an issue we encountered with some glasses we had purchased from a local optometrist’s office. Neither of our progressive lenses was functioning correctly. As individuals in our fifties, we both require corrective lenses, which is quite common.

Our issue was that the magnification for reading was positioned too low on our lenses. Consequently, when we wore the new glasses, both Aaron and I had to tilt our heads back excessively to read anything through the lower portion. Do you agree? Does this sound right to you?

We were debating what to do about this issue. As many people who wear glasses know, it’s impossible to return frames once you’ve purchased them. I proposed that I take my glasses back when I picked up my contacts and request a fix with our lenses since we were still within the 30-day period.

I followed through and approached the optical counter at the optometrist’s office, explaining the reason for my visit. To my surprise, the optician reacted by saying, “How dare you come into our office and imply I don’t know how to do my job?” I was taken aback.

After a brief discussion, she checked my lenses on a machine and returned to assert that they were perfectly fine. I explained that they were not usable and that we couldn’t read anything with them. Despite my calm demeanor, she became offended and declared she was done with the conversation, sitting down abruptly. I felt increasingly embarrassed as the office was crowded with people, including another optician and customers.

Recalling what the Lord had imparted to me that morning about “not walking away,” I remained at the counter. A few minutes passed, and the woman that was helping me stood up, stating, “That’s it. I’m calling my manager.”

Mind you, I hadn’t even said a word!

She stepped outside while pacing, presumably discussing the situation on the phone. When she returned, she announced, “We are going to issue you a full refund.” I promptly replied, “Great! Please put that in writing!”

As I exited the office, I hoped never to return, but I was amazed at how the Lord intervened. All I did was stand my ground and not walk away, just as He had guided me earlier that morning.

I am reminded of Exodus 14:14, a well-known verse where Moses reassures the Israelites, trapped between the Red Sea and the advancing Egyptian army. It serves as a powerful reminder to trust in God’s strength and let Him handle our battles.

I include three different translations of this verse below, as each version offers a unique description.

• (NIV): “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

• (ESV): “The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

• (KJV): “The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”

• Divine Intervention: Exodus 14:14 emphasizes that God is our ultimate defender, ready to step in during impossible situations.

• Trust and Surrender: Being “still” or holding one’s peace signifies letting go of panic, relinquishing control, and resting in faith.

• Be at Peace: Ultimate victory doesn’t come from human strength, but from trusting God during tough moments.
  
  

This experience at the Optometrist’s office gave me a new appreciation for Exodus 14:14 and the concept behind the illustration. Could you imagine being one of the Israelites? Up against the Red Sea and the advancing Egyptian army on the other side? How terrifying! Yet, the Lord told them to be still, and THEN they would see His salvation.

My husband and I have since visited another optometrist, ordered new glasses, and have been thrilled with our experience. We are incredibly grateful for how the Lord intervened on our behalf, allowing me to simply hold my peace and be still. Now I can confidently say I know God because I have witnessed His power in this situation.

We must train ourselves to hear the Lord’s voice, as He communicates with us continuously through His Word, through other people, songs, stories, and dreams. He utilizes diverse vessels to guide us through various life situations.

I have authored a book titled Sunshine in My Heart, which narrates my journey of listening to God’s voice speaking to me as a young girl. He shared many precious promises with me. It also details the tests of obedience I faced during my teenage years before experiencing the fulfillment of those promises in my life.

Thank you for joining me. I invite you to return soon and visit my other Blog Posts, Inspirational Daily Prayers for Today, God’s Light for Women, and Wise Habits that have helped me become the woman God created me to be.

Be the woman God created you to be!