Be Still!

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

Psalm 46:10 (NIV) 

Being still is difficult, but it is in that stillness when God speaks to us. Waiting is having faith that our lives are in God’s hands. Remember that He alone is in control and His plans are good. But it is still difficult to let go and remain still. How can we do it? Our minds refuse to lose control and focus on something else. But we must, because God demands that we have faith and in waiting prepare ourselves. Some of us say our faith is being tested. Some say "God helps those who help themselves". What does the Bible say? What does the Bible demonstrate? 

For these answers, we have drawn from "Today in the Word" in their article "What the Bible Says about waiting. We highlight three things - 

Firstly, don’t Focus on the End Result

God gave us this day. He has not promised us tomorrow (Proverbs 27:1). Therefore, our focus shouldn’t be on what is to come, but what we are given now. There is still work to be done in the waiting. Thomas Baurain says, “We often treat waiting as a necessary evil. It’s something we get through in order to reach a destination, to arrive someplace and have the waiting behind us.” When we wonder what the Bible says about waiting, we are headed in the right direction. “Biblical waiting is waiting with conviction,” Baurain says. Don’t focus only on your desired destination. Instead, focus on where God has placed you right now, and what He is calling you to do in this moment.

Second, Realize We Can’t See the Whole Picture

We can’t see all that God is doing in our lives, and we most likely never will. This time of waiting could be purposed by God so that you miss something now in order to gain something better. Take Joseph for instance. In Genesis 41 we find Joseph imprisoned and forgotten. He had interpreted the dream of the Pharaoh's Cupbearer in hopes the man would remember him and help free him. Two years later, Joseph was still waiting to be remembered. Finally, He was set free to interpret the Pharaoh's dream, and because of this he became second in command over the land, saved the people of Egypt, and saved his family. There was a bigger picture than what Joseph could see during those years in prison waiting. God’s plan is always better than our own. We might not understand what is happening at the moment, and might not ever, but we can trust He is working all things out. It is helpful to get a new perspective by understanding what the Bible says about waiting.

Third, Take the Time to Grow

Perhaps, God has you in a time of waiting so you can learn. Spend time in Scripture and prayer. Don’t perceive waiting as just wasted time. Instead, see it as a cultivating time in your life to live for Jesus today. Seek out a mentor, or a mentee, someone to learn from who has also dealt with the struggles of waiting. Take this time to dig deep into what God is trying to teach you. Hebrews 13:20–21 says “Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Let God work in your life.

We hope this has been helpful for all those who are in waiting for God to answer their prayer. In case interested you can view the whole article here