Thoughts: Hannah's Blog

Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. – Psalm 37:5

For some people, being still is the toughest thing to do. Especially in this fast paced world, filled with flurries of activities, bombarding us one after the other, demanding our attention. Even when sitting, seemingly idly, after finishing one activity, the mind doesn’t rest. It keeps jumping to what is to be done next – making plans, considering options, weighing choices, making decisions, and the list goes on in an endless loop.

It is difficult to be still if we are by nature a doer. A doer gets their satisfaction or fulfilment in getting things done. Go to them with any problem, they will not just offer you solutions but proceed to do it for you or at the very least give you contact of someone who can. Any problem they face, they get into it head on, ready to get their hands dirty and finish it so they can mark the task as finished in their to-do list. Sounds familiar? Does it remind you of you, or maybe someone you know?

Most often than not, when we are faced with a difficult task, we try everything which is humanly possible for us to do, but when everything fails, we realise the truth that Jesus never fails and we go to him for help.

We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defence. We pray when there’s nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before we do anything at all. – Oswald Chambers.

And when we pray, sometimes God’s answer for us is “Be Still” or just wait for me to do my thing. Waiting is not easy. In Psalms 46: 10, we see this again:

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Some versions render it as stop striving (stop struggling or fighting), desist (stop doing something), Let be and be still, and know (recognise and understand) that I am God. [AMPC] There are a lot of battles mentioned in the Bible. In some cases, God instructed them to go forward and fight and in some other cases, God asks them to be still while God fought their battles for them. Sometimes causing the enemies confusion, sometimes sending his angel. Once he sent his own army of fire for protection of Elisha (but no fight happened)

Each situation is unique and each battle plan is unique. We need to be like King David and enquire with God every time on what he wants us to do, committing and surrendering to his plan every step of the way and obey his word.

Commit everything you do to the Lord.
    Trust him, and he will help you. – Psalms 37: 5

If you feel like you are in the midst of a battle, facing foes far stronger than you are, reach out to God as the first line of defence and lean on the Lord our strength. He is our refuge and help. He is our mighty fortress and he will shelter us from the storm that we are in. He is Almighty God and he has everything at his disposal, just sit back and see the creative way in which God will deliver you this time. You will get to know his greatness and power in and through this. He will make you a witness to testify of his goodness. Stay hopeful! Be Still!