Be Still and Know
While I was leading worship at Salem House of Prayer, the onboard pickup and preamp system in my acoustic guitar stopped working. I depended on that guitar to help me lead people in worship every week.
A Repair I Could Not Afford
The sound technician also needed the system to work. She frequently managed both the sound and the overheads, often without anyone assisting her. Being able to plug my guitar directly into the sound system made her responsibilities much easier.
Unfortunately, I did not have enough money to replace the electronics. Even so, I took the guitar to Guitar Center in Keizer to find out what was wrong.
Josh, the repair technician, discovered that the preamp had failed.
An Unexpected Provision
Josh contacted Breedlove, the company that made my guitar. The preamp’s one-year warranty had already expired, so the company was no longer obligated to replace it.
Then something unexpected happened.
The Breedlove representative happened to have a replacement preamp available. Although the warranty had expired, he offered to send it at no charge.
At the time, similar systems normally cost between $100 and $200, plus approximately $100 for installation. Because Breedlove supplied the preamp for free, I only needed to pay about $50 for the repair and $10 for new strings. A financial problem that appeared beyond my ability suddenly became manageable.
I considered this a small miracle.
From an ordinary human perspective, a generous representative made a kind decision at just the right time. From the perspective of faith, I believe God worked through those ordinary circumstances to provide what I needed. God’s provision came through a repair technician who made a phone call, a representative who chose to help, and a replacement part that was already available.
The guitar was also more than a personal possession. It was one of the tools I used to serve God and help other people worship Him. Repairing it allowed me to continue leading worship and made the sound technician’s work easier.
What It Means to Be Still
Psalm 46 begins with this assurance:
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).
Later, God says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
The psalm describes turmoil, danger, and uncertainty. Its message is that God remains present and sovereign when life feels unstable. It does not promise that God’s people will never face hardship. Instead, it teaches us where to place our confidence when hardship comes.
Being still does not always mean doing nothing. I still took my guitar to the repair shop. I allowed the technician to diagnose the problem, and I prepared to pay what I could. I took the responsible step available to me. After that, the outcome was beyond my control.
Faith often works that way. We pray, take the next faithful step, and entrust the result to God. Sometimes, after we have done what we can, all that remains is to be still and trust Him.
Trusting God with Our Needs
Jesus taught His followers not to be consumed by worry about their daily needs. Our heavenly Father already knows what we need, and Jesus instructs us to seek God’s kingdom first (Matthew 6:31–33). God may provide through work, wisdom, another person’s generosity, or an unexpected opportunity.
This experience does not mean that every Christian will receive an immediate financial miracle. God’s provision may arrive differently from what we expect, and sometimes we must wait much longer than we would choose. Nevertheless, God remains good and faithful. We can bring our needs to Him and watch for His involvement without demanding that He answer in one particular way.
Be still and know that He is God.
The repair still cost approximately $60, but God transformed what appeared to be an unaffordable expense into something manageable. Years later, I continue to remember this provision as a meaningful expression of His care.
Woot, woot! Awesome God!