STAND STILL

BE STILL The storms of life are inevitable. We are either coming out of a storm, enduring a storm, or about to enter one. John 16:33 says, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the ...world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” In this life, we WILL have trouble but we can rest assured knowing that Jesus has overcome the world. These past 2 weeks, the Lord has been telling me to “rest in Him” and to "be still”. The scripture He has put on my heart is Exodus 14:13-14 - "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." This past week, our family was faced with some unexpected trials. In the moment, it was easy to let fear consume us and let our minds wander to the “what if's." After praying, I just kept hearing the words, “be still, hold your peace, fix your eyes on Me, the Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” When our eyes are fixed on Jesus, we will keep in perfect peace but when they are looking around at the circumstances of life, it’s a guarantee that we will start to sink. John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Jesus is the only one that can give our souls peace. He is the calm or the "eye" of the storm. He is our resting place. What is our position in the midst of the storms? It is one of abiding in Jesus and entering into the rest of God. It is one of waiting on the Lord continually with our eyes focused upon Him, doing what He directs us to do. There is no such thing as “the rest of God” without opposition. There is no such thing as peace without opposition. Let me share this story Joyce Meyer talked about in a devotion about a story involving two artists who were asked to paint pictures of “peace” as they perceived it. One painted a quiet, still lake, far back in the mountains. The other painted a raging, rushing waterfall that had a birch tree leaning out over it with a bird resting in a nest on one of the branches. Which painting truly depicts peace? The second one does, because there is no such thing as peace without opposition. The first painting represents stagnation. The scene it sets forth may be serene, a person might be motivated to want to go there to recuperate. It may offer a pretty picture, but it does not depict “the rest of God.” Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My (own) peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you….” (John 14:27). His peace is a spiritual peace, and His rest is one that operates in the mist of the storm – not in its absence. (Joyce Meyer) Whatever we go through in this life, we can rest in the Lord knowing that He is with us and will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). As the trials and tribulations come our way, we can endure them with peace because like John 16:33 says, “Jesus has overcome them all.” As we stand still and trust in the Lord, He will fight our battles for us. And remember like James said, to rejoice in difficult situations, knowing that through them God tests our faith to bring out perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4) God is more concerned with our character here on earth than He is our comfort. We will all go through times of trial, times of testing, and wilderness seasons so that He can purify us, remove anything that is keeping us from Him, and prepare us for our next season of life. We can’t ever shorten the wilderness season because only God knows what needs to be done in our lives but we can prolong the season like the Israelites did by complaining, being disobedient, getting bitter, or falling into self-pity. God wants us to draw near to Him, to rest in His presence, to be obedient, and allow Him to do the work necessary in our lives so that we can be refined for the next season and continue bearing good fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 says, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Remember, the trials are not our destination…we are just passing through. I pray that you will turn your face to The Lord in your times of trial and let Him carry you through. All Glory To Him, Amber Cunningham