Be Still • Reflections and Prayer

The Lord will fight for you; you only need to be still. (Exodus 14:14)

BE STILL • THE CHALLENGE

What a promise and what a challenge! Be still when the world says take charge, run faster, push harder, do more, make it happen – whatever it is. Just do it! Yet, isn’t it like God to tell us the exact opposite, so counter-cultural that it seems impossible, implausible or at least unlikely? This passage is written as a command, to be “done” or really not done without exception. How do we reconcile the line between being a wise advocate and when we shouldn’t push forward? The word “push” might be a good place to start.

I know there are times when I have pushed really hard for what was best in my way of thinking. I remember a couple of years ago that I pushed really hard for insurance to approve a procedure. If one woman could move a mountain with the sheer number of phone calls and advocating on her own behalf – well I should have gotten approval. Turns out all I did was make my headache worse and give headaches to just about everyone I called. Little did I know that God had other plans – better plans – for me and my care.

BE STILL – GOD HAS A PLAN

Isn’t it just like Him to have plan – a really good one? One that is for my good – my best. Until the time of my insurance story, I had never really seen this verse, it seemed utterly unfamiliar, but perhaps the truth is that I was finally ready to see it. Unfortunately, I didn’t grab a hold of it until after I had done what wasn’t necessary. My Heavenly Father was fighting for me the whole time and all I had to do was be still and I would have sensed His peace instead of my frustration. So what am I to do? What are we to do? I imagine that I am not alone in trying to figure all this out.

So I will share some of my reflections and I hope you will share yours. Please comment with your thoughts, ideas, successes and the not so successful stories, too. Community is the place for us to work out what God is teaching each of us, because each of us holds a unique piece of the puzzle, part of our intrinsic purpose here on earth – to love God and to love others. We can do both when we share life because He helps us to discover hope through the process.

BE STILL – PRAYER IS PRECIOUS

Not a single second is wasted when we take our hearts, hopes, dreams and desires before the Lord. As I still my racing thoughts, my mind and my to-do’s, I begin to trust that the Lord really is fighting for me.  My intimate time with the Lord is a gift that is so easily neglected and missed. Often we hear the phrase, “the least I can do is pray.” When in reality prayer is the most we can do. Prayer changes things and I only need to be still and wait. Ooh, there’s the rub, patience. Prayer requires stillness and often requires patience as part of His precious gift.

PRAY BIG

We will never regret praying bigger than we dreamed possible. Those places of hurt, hope and healing are all invited to throne room. He never laughs at or dismisses anything we bring before Him. But as we pray, He will align our big and little prayers with His heart, so we are sharing the same vision – His. I know that I can be real in my hopes and aspirations and he loves to dream with me, for together we will accomplish great things in light of eternity and in just the right time.

PRAY EVEN WHEN THE ANSWER IS NO

We will someday thank God that He didn’t always do what we wanted. I know that has been true for me. There have been times that a “no” has been a gift and likely all of His “no’s” will turn out to be special blessings, though I may not understand this side of heaven.

PRAY WITH TRUST

God won’t move every mountain or part every sea, but we can still trust Him. Ultimately, it all comes down to growing in trust, step-by-step  with his gentle guidance, tender mercy, and deep love. My choice is to choose Him as my Good Shepherd, trusting and resting in the knowledge that on my own I miss the blessings along the journey when I neglect to be still.

Prayer

Stir up your power, O Lord and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with You and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory now and forever.

Amen.