Two of the hardest words to hear, today.

Especially in this day and age when everything we want is essentially at our fingertips with little to no wait. And much like a 2 year old who doesn’t want to wait, we tend to have our tantrum too. Maybe not at first. But, the tantrum comes. At least it does for me.

He said, “Not Yet”. I felt peace. Remarkably, I felt peace. Enough that I thought to myself, this is what it is to say, it is well with my soul. Proud moment. Sad. But proud that despite the sad I could be well.

And then things looked different for a minute. Which left me a little confused. As I thought, but you said, not yet. So I expected the wait. And it didn’t look like the wait was happening. Until it became very apparent that it wasn’t yet. Gently I was reminded of the not yet. But that’s not what I wanted. I felt like we had already waited long enough for the answer. The promise to come true. The promise I stand on because I know God’s word is true. You know, the promise I won’t let go of to choose faith over worry.

“Be Still and Know that I AM God” Psalm 46:10

So, I asked. What am I supposed to do while I wait. He answered.

But, I don’t want to be still. What does that mean. He said, be still. Be well in your soul. Know that I am God. And I asked a few more questions. To which he gave me an answer. Let’s pause for a moment. I ask God questions in my mind, in my prayer, out loud driving down the road, and in the middle of the night when I can’t find sleep. God answers me when I ask him to and then I seek him. If I’m not paying attention to the still small voice he brings I’ll miss my answer.

So, I was reading his word to find the answer from him. He brought me to Psalms. He is my refuge. My ever present help in time of need. He says to be still. I’ve painted this scripture passage on pottery and enjoyed the word before. This past week it took on new meaning.

Be still doesn’t mean to do nothing as I had often envisioned it in the past. Instead it means to be peaceful while I carry on. Knowing that God is God and still on the throne.

But, it doesn’t mean…DO NOTHING.

Well then, what do I do? What is my action while I be still?

So, I asked. I’m sure you can see where this is going.

I read. He answered.

“When someone comes to me, listens to me, and then obeys me. It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise & break against the house it stand firm because it is well built” Luke 6:47-48

Come to me.

Listen to me.

Obey me.

So, let’s stop for a moment. I am to come to him. Not sit and do nothing. But, come to him. In prayer and reading. Then I am to listen to him. Listening is the active form of hearing. Hearing is simply the sound. Listening is absorbing, intentional, purposeful. And then I am to obey him. Yes. I don’t get to just come and listen. I have to go and do. I have to obey his direction. So, as I ask these questions, he answers, and then I have to obey his guidance.

Floodwaters rise.

Break against.

STAND FIRM.

Well, here is the rest of the story. Floodwaters rise and break against us. You see God didn’t say come to him, listen to him, and obey then life would be grand with no waiting or issues while we wait. He says the opposite. He says, be still, know I am God, come to me, listen to me, and obey me. So, that WHEN the floodwaters rise and break against you, you will STAND FIRM.

This is how we stand firm. We be still. We know that He is God.

Be blessed. Bobbie