Shhhhh... Be Still and Listen

I've had a verse in my head for a few weeks. It was on one of my previous posts. It's Exodus 14:14.

"The Lord will fight for you, you only need to be still." 

This is such a sweet thing. Our Lord will never let us down, instead he will fight in place against sin, persecution, Satan, the world or anything else that stands in our way.  THe thing is we have to be still. We can't fight him, period. If the Lord chooses to in a certain directionwe need to have the courage to follow. Sometimes the Lord likes to move in such a far out way as to test how bad you are truly wanting Him. You say you want Me to break the addiction, but how badly do you want that? Are you really willing to do whatever it takes to change it? I believe God says yes to our prayers more than we really think, however I think we turn around and say never mind right after He answers.

That's only one side of being still though, we have to be still for another reason: to sense. When you don't move, you have a greater view of your surroundings. You aren't moving or taking your attention to focus on your body. Instead you have the ability to hear more and see with greater focus and your body is ready to react. Apply that to this verse. God will fight for us, but we need to be focused so that we can hear what He wants of us.  Whether that be to run from danger, to go forward boldly etc. If we are too busy running around to hear what He wants us to do, then how are we to expect Him to fight?

Finally, We need to be still, humbly. I see too often in myself as well as others the problem where we ask for God's intervention at some place in our lives, He intercedes and once we see a bit of improvement we take over. We say thanks, but think we can take it from here. We got it under control. It's foolish, it's prideful, and it's certainly not being still. How can we really be so dumb sometimes to think that we can take over and finish better than the crazy, awesome God we have? The God who only made EVERY single thing in the universe, oh and don't forget the universe itself! He is THE Creator, THE Reconciliator, THE All in All. How can we be so prideful to try and finish what he starts, ourselves with no direction or influence from Him? I believe all of us always have some part in our lives where God is calling for us to be still. It's one of those things if you do it right, God will show you things you never thought possible. You do it wrong and it may just well break you.

Here are some things you can do though:

1. Ask God to make it known where to be still in your life. If there are things in your life troubling you, lay them down to Him and let him intercede, follow where he tells you to,  reevaluate your movements when He shuts doors in your life.

2. Most of all try to really look, listen and feel what God has to say to you. Focus less on the results and more on the journey and the insight that comes from it.

Much Love,
Luke

“Uncontrolled, the hunger and thirst after God may become an obstacle, cutting off the soul from what it desires. If a man would travel far along the mystic road, he must learn to desire God intensely but in stillness, passively and yet with all his heart and mind and strength.”  - Aldous Huxley