Okay, I am liking this kid more and more as he gets wound up and gets more comfortable with giving Job & Co. a piece of his mind . . . and a vision of God.

Yesterday, I pondered Elihu’s exhortation to Job to “remember to extol” the works of God. And this morning, I’m hovering over what I think has got to be a precursor to remembering. Stopping.

“Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God.”

(Job 37:14)

I wonder if at least part of the reason we fail to break the strongholds our sufferings and trials can so often have on us; the reason we lose sight of God in the storm; the reason we’re tempted to question God, or blame God, for the hard stuff — I wonder if the reason we fail to remember to extol God is because we forget to stop and consider God.

We’re so busy trying to keep things afloat, we’re so distracted with being distracted, we’re so caught up with the frantic pace of a technology enabled life, that we never cease and desist. We don’t make time to be still and know that He is God (Ps. 46:10). We don’t stop moving and just meditate. We don’t stop producing in order to just ponder. We don’t stop checking off the items on our to-do lists and make the time to check in with the Lord. We just don’t stop.

O, maybe we stop moving physically once in awhile. But then, what do we fill our minds with? Which electronic device of choice occupies the quiet time? Though our body may be still our mind is still racing. Either with this game, or getting caught up on that social media platform. Or maybe we’re listening to our favorite podcast, or watching our favorite show. In our age, even when we’re still, how often do we really stop?

But the kid says to Job, “Job, take a breath!” Stop, really stop, and consider.

Stand still for a moment and think. Really think. Think hard. Think diligently. Pause for the purpose of being discerning. Rest and reflect on the God you know, and the God who knows you. Consider how great is your God. Think deeply on the wonders of your God. Remind yourself of the ways of your God.

Meditate on the wonders of His hand in the life around you, the ever visible creation. And take time to replay the grace-sourced evidences of the hand of the Almighty in your own life, an ever loved new creation (2Cor. 5:17) in His Son.

Know afresh that He is forever faithful. That He really is all powerful. That He is exceedingly merciful. That He is, by His nature, unchangeable — the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). And that, with the Spirit in us, especially when the Word is before us, He is always available (Ps. 139:7).

We just need to stop. Stop and consider.

May not answer all the why’s of our journey when the going gets tough. But it will certainly help us to remember that there is One who goes with us in the journey, who is in us and with us.

If God is for us, who can be against us? . . . in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

(Romans 8:31b, 37 ESV)

We just need to stop every so often. Probably more often than we do.

By His grace. For His glory.