Still waters.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:2-3a ESV)

Growing up, we used to sing Reginald Heber’s classic hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy!” Of all its beautiful lines, four have always held my attention:

“Holy, holy, holy!
All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns
around the glassy sea.”

What incredible imagery. A sea so still, so undisturbed by wind or wave, that its surface reflects like pure glass.

When life feels chaotic, it’s easy to assume peace is something we have to manufacture. But David doesn’t say we find still waters on our own; he says the Shepherd leads us there. God isn’t calling you to strive your way into calm today. He is gently guiding your heart toward an inner quietness that only His presence can provide—a stillness so deep it turns your anxious thoughts into a clear reflection of His grace.

Where in your life are you trying to force peace instead of allowing the Shepherd to give you His rest?

For further reading: Isaiah 26:3; John 14:27; Philippians 4:6-7; Matthew 11:28-30