Dare To BeSample

You may not be familiar with the word selah. It’s a Hebrew word that we see in some parts of Scripture. It appears to be an instruction for us to pause, to listen, to quietly think about what was just said. It’s written to remind us not to rush past what we can only discover in the pause.

Selah is the moment that can seem like a much longer passage of time when everything in you feels it should respond. But selah says, “Let it rest; let those words be heard.” It’s a time to think and to process the important things that, if you hurry, you will miss.

We can see the power of the selah in this psalm:

You, Lord, are a shield around me,

My glory, and the One who lifts my head.

I was crying out to the Lord with my voice,

And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah

(Psalm 3:3-4 NASB).

Perhaps the psalmist is saying, “Don’t just read this truth and carry on.” Perhaps he is telling us to pause, to absorb this revelation of the majesty of our God and let it sink in because pausing in this place will change how we enter the next space. 

We often fail to see the significance of the selah moments, especially when we sense that we are called to be doing something or working on a project. Our need to keep going can mean we miss being fully present in the moments that can maximize and transform our time. When something is new, we tend to think we don’t have time to pause—yet the opposite is often true. It’s in the early stages of our work that we need more selah moments, more places to be still. We need the willingness to stop as much as we need the energy to continue.

If you are feeling downcast and your spirit is overwhelmed, run to Him, stay there, live in His presence. Trust Him for the uncertain times ahead, find rest in the selah of His shadow—and in so doing, you will find the strength to soar again.

Dare to pause in God’s presence today. Dare to stop filling the gaps with words that are not needed and instead, just breathe. Take the time to focus on His Word and who He is. Reach out for a moment and devote some time to being in an attitude of worship. Take hold of the hand He is extending toward you today and use the words of this song as your prayer.

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We hope you enjoyed this five-day plan! You can read more from Charlotte and Natalie in their latest book, Dare to Be, available here.