Rabbit Trails and Being Still

My quiet time often leads me down rabbit trails.  Or either it's ADD.  Either way, those diversions are often fruitful and lead me to think that sometimes they may be God-directed after all.  

This morning as I was being quiet and still, the hymn "Immortal, Invisible" came to mind.  I looked up the words (since I could only remember the first verse) and then became curious about the author of those powerful words.  That hymn was written by a Scottish pastor, Walter Chalmers Smith.  Following the biographical information were other poems he'd written.  This one was the prize for me at the end of this particular rabbit trail.  I hope it speaks to you as much as it did me.

Thoughts and Fancies (1887).

II. “Be still”

By Walter Chalmers Smith (1824–1908)

Be still, and know He doeth all things well,

Working the purpose of His holy will,

And if His high designs He do not tell

Till He accomplish them—do thou be still.

Why should’st thou strive and fret and fear and doubt,

As if His way, being dark, must bode thee ill?

If thine own way be clearly pointed out,

Leave Him to clear up His, and be thou still.

Was ever yet thy trust in Him misplaced?

And hoping in Him, did He not fulfill

The word on which He caused thee to rest,

Though not as thou had’st thought, perchance? Be still.

What if the road be rough which might be smooth?

Is not the rough road best for thee, until

Thou learn by patient walking in the truth

To trust and hope in God, and to be still?

A little faith is more than clearest views;

Would’st thou have ocean like a babbling rill?

God without mystery were not good news;

Wrestle not with the darkness, but be still.

Be still, and know that He is God indeed

Who reigns in glory on His holy hill,

Yet once upon the Cross did hang and bleed,

And heard the people raging—and was still.