Be Still…
“Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for Him to act.”
Psalm 37:7
My mom tells me that when I was little, around two or three years old, I would love to go by the windowsill of our apartment and wait for my dad to come home from work. I would sit there for hours. We lived in an apartment building on the third floor. I’d anxiously watch out the window to look for any sign of him coming home. I’d wiggle and wiggle and my mom would always say, “Christine, be still. Be patient. He’s coming home soon.”
Then, finally, when I would see him, I’d scream! I couldn’t wait for my Dad to come home. He’d always walk through the door and give me a great big hug.
My impatience probably made my mom laugh and smile at times. But the battle to be patient and still certainly doesn’t end when we become adults. We live in a society that wants everything NOW and waiting, even at a red light or a line at a grocery store, can be hard. It’s also hard to wait when we have been praying to God about a person or situation.
Be still.
It’s so important as God’s children to wait on our knees, to earnestly pray and seek Him. We must understand what it means, as this Psalm says, to be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act.
Waiting on the Lord means trusting that God is at work even when we don’t see it.
Waiting on the Lord means trusting in God that it’s in HIS time, not ours.
Waiting on the Lord means our attitude should be filled with faith, knowing He will bring all the answers we need from Him.
Just because we can’t see God at work doesn’t mean He’s not working behind the scenes for our good, and for His great purpose. God will figure all the details out. Our responsibility is to rest in Him and trust Him.
How do we do that? Wait. Waiting requires patience, but the word “wait” is also a verb. It requires our action.
We focus on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith:
“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2
We meditate and read Scriptures. We study God’s Word and we pray. In Jesus, we are secure and safe. In Jesus, we have everything we need.
Then, as Isaiah says,
“Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not grow weary. They shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31
PRAYER: Father, thank You that You are a good and loving Father. Thank You that You are working behind the scenes, even when I can’t see it or feel it. Sometimes, Lord it’s so hard to wait and be still. Help supply us with patience in order to renew our strength. We lean into You and we trust You as Your Word is true and You are so faithful. Guide us. Direct us. We surrender our worries to You. Thank You that You are working all things out for good for those who love you. We love you Lord. Amen.
We hope and pray this encourages you today. Wait on the Lord and don’t give up!
Christine Batchelder