“Be still and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10
How many times have you passed the little old blue-haired lady on the Interstate with two hands gripped to the steering wheel, going 40 in a 70?
I now have a new appreciation for her, because that’s what life feels like for me after hip replacement surgery.
Hipster, hip hip hurray, hippie, Hip-Hop, and other derivatives have been making their way to my ears from the mouths of good-natured friends and family since my surgery on March 9th. I know their ribbing is just a cover-up for jealousy as I parade around with my new bionic appendage like a proud owner of a new car.
The only thing better would be a touch of that “new car smell.” I’ll mention it to the surgeon.
So far, all I’m sure of is that surgery is a journey, not an event.
In addition to doing the research before deciding to move forward, there were a half-dozen pre-op hoops to jump through weeks before surgery. The post-op PTs kept reminding me that it would take 6–8 weeks for a full recovery. When I tried to negotiate the timeline, I was told it would be 6–8 weeks… even if I were 17 rather than 70.
PTs don’t play fair or nice.
As I write this, I’m exactly two weeks into the recovery, and by all accounts, things are going very well. Everything takes longer to do, and my day-to-day activities are greatly diminished… temporarily. My steps are slow and deliberate.
And if I’m honest, that’s not just physically frustrating—it’s spiritually revealing.
I’ve spent most of my life moving fast, getting things done, measuring progress. Slowing down feels like losing ground… even when I know it isn’t.
As I walk, I remember my brothers, veterans of this procedure, saying, “Whatever you do, don’t fall.” I’m slow, and my leg wears down quickly.
No spills so far!
I remembered what the Psalmist said, “Be still and know that I am God.”
“Be still” doesn’t necessarily mean slow down. It means stop striving.
Psalm 46 emphasizes God as our refuge and strength, especially in times of trouble. It reminds us that even in the middle of chaos, we do not need to fear. God is present. God is powerful. Our focus shifts from our circumstances to His character.
The operation may be over, but the surgery journey is not.
“Be still and know that I am God” doesn’t mean “do nothing.” It means we do our part and trust God with His.
Post-surgery, it means doing the PT work and trusting God for the outcome.
The Lord is inviting us to stop living as if we are in control and instead focus on the work He has given us to do.
We are in the obedience business.
God is in the outcome business.
Life is hard. Whatever circumstances you are navigating, you can trust God’s character.
He is good.
He is for you.
He has not left.
He will not change.
Run the play. Be still and trust God.
Put in the work… and let go of the outcome—and the timing.
🧭 Finding Our Place in the Story
Where in your life are you being forced to slow down—and what might God be revealing to you in that space?
What does “doing your part” look like right now, and where might you be trying to control outcomes that belong to God?
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