Exodus 14:14 - "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."
On a scale from 1 to 10 (with 10 being perfect), how good are you at being "still"? How skilled are you at quieting your mind and body? How easy is it for you to sit in a state of prayer and stillness before the Lord? How patient are you to be still and quiet long enough to tune your ear and heart to God's word?
How fast does your mind and thoughts race? How tired does your soul feel? How hurried is your pace of life? How busy does life feel? My guess is that, like so many others, you struggle with (or have surrendered to) a life of hurry and busyness. 😵
Let's be honest...the world and culture that we live in prides itself on being busy, as it tries to sutbly equate our level of busyness with our value and worth. It says that the more you can fit in and do, the more valuable you are to those around you. Is that truth, or is it a sneaky lie from the enemy? Have you fallen into that trap and mindset?
On top of that, we live in an age of constant pings and dings, notifications and endless entertainment options demanding our attention. All the while, our minds are being trained to have the attention span of a goldfish. We have never had greater access to information, yet our zapped brains have a harder time than ever absorbing and retaining information. In this rich information age, it may be possible that our lack of ability to focus has made our minds and lives truly poor. Even as I type this blog post, there are so many different things vying for my attention.
How often have your actions and behaviors communicated this to God?
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"Sorry God. Maybe later. I'm too busy right now!"
Of course, we would never say it out loud that way, but is it possible that this is what our lives have been communicating to God for longer than we can remember? We long to have the ability to slow down, but everything keeps getting in the way. The needs are too many and the urgency too great. "Maybe once the kids are out of the house or maybe once I retire, then I will be able to slow down and be more still with the Lord." But deep down, we know that isn't realistically true because we haven't seen that to be true in other empty nesters or retirees' lives. I've heard too many retired people say that they've never been busier!
The real problem is deeper than that. The problem stems from deep inside of us, not from our collection of external situations. Life has a way of continually throwing new opportunities, challenges, and needs at us so that we will never consistently or conveniently "fall into" a place of stillness with God. Of the very few people that I personally know who are consistently modeling this "be still and know that I am God" lifestyle (Psalm 46:10), they are all people who have made the intentional choice to pursue and fight for this in their lives. It isn't situationally convenient for them, but it is a priority for them, just like they prioritize food or sleep. They have realized their propensity to live a hurried life and have acknowledged their need to surrender this to their Lord.
Jesus was perfect, but He also needed this stillness and quiet prayer time with the Father, and He prioritized this in His earthly life. Name me one example where Jesus seemed in a hurry? When do you recall an account of Jesus running or rushing around? In fact, it is quite the opposite. I could name you example after example of Jesus being almost annoyingly slow to those around Him. Most notably (in John 11), when Mary and Martha send word to Jesus that their brother Lazarus is gravely ill, Jesus doesn't immediately slip on His jogging sandals. Instead He waits at least 4 days before showing up on site and by that point, Lazarus has been buried in the tomb for 4 days! Not what Mary and Martha had in mind. Definitely NOT what you and I would have had in mind either.
Yet, we compare this example to our lives and it (likely) couldn't look more different. So what do you and I do about this? Is there hope for us in this? YES! Of course there is hope for us in this, but like any good and healthy thing, it will require change, self-denial, and humility. It will require a new level of surrender to Jesus. It will require a new and fresh prioritization for your life. If you are desirous for this, then keep reading. If not, don't waste your time 😉
HOPE 👇🏼
Jesus deeply desires to meet us in our heart, mind, and in the demands of life in order to BE OUR STILLNESS. Right where we are at. In the middle of the storms of life. In the midst of the mess and the "not yet ideal" of this broken world that we live in. He wants to assert His authority over the rat-race and busyness. He has grace for our failures and hope for our future, BUT it is only found in Him. There is no other place to go or turn to to find what only our Creator and Savior has. We must start by acknowledging that He is the only way, truth and life. Don't simply know this truth...believe this truth deep inside your soul!
These words of Jesus from Matthew 11:28-30 have continued to minister to the deepest places in my soul, and I hope that they will for you too:
"28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Alright, now stop! And go back and re-read it again, but this time s-l-o-w-e-r...allowing yourself to absorb more this time around. 👆🏼
What popped out to you from this passage? What have you never noticed or internalized before? What was right in front of your face all this time that you just hadn't slowed down long enough to hear? Some of you likely have this passage memorized, and yet have glossed over its divinely impactful meaning. Jesus means what He says, and He is inviting us into His rest. What an incredible invitation!! Will you accept it?
I love this piece of a conversation between the Lord and Moses from Exodus 33:14-17:
"14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then Moses said to Him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” 17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
Allow me to ask you this clarifying question: What area of your life do you NOT want the presence and power of the Lord to impact and lead?
Uhhh, duh! We would want and need God's presence and power in ALL of it, right?! But is that the way you are actively living? Do you start your day with acknowledging this desire to God through prayer, instead of rushing around to care for the urgent needs? I want to have the attitude of Moses that says, "Lord, I need you to lead me and be with me today. I don't want to go or do anything without your presence and power. If you go, I will go. If you stay, I will stay."
What in your life would tangibly change if you actually lived this way? What in your life would need to change for you to live this way?
TOP PRIORITY ⭐️
How can you make this heart posture your top priority each day and week? What do you need to say "NO" to in order to say "YES" to slowing down and centering yourself in the presence of the Lord? How can you consistently set aside time for you to be still long enough to sit in God's word and listen for His voice? How can a passing word here and there turn into a devoted life of prayer that sits in deep communion with our Lord? Is it getting up earlier before the noise and chaos of the day finds you? Is it turning off the radio, music, or podcast in order to replace it with silence, stillness of mind, and prayer? Is it hiding your phone from yourself and going on more consistent prayer walks? (Which is my personal favorite way to find stillness and prayer with my Lord.) What is needed for you? I'd encourage you to ask the Lord for His wisdom, clarity, and conviction pertaining to your next steps in this.
If your life is too hurried in its pace, you will likely struggle to find God's peace.
If you are too busy to prioritize slowing down to be with Jesus, you will likely find that your mind, anxiety and blood pressure will continue to speed up. Jesus wants more for you. He has come that you may have life, and have it abundantly! (John 10:10)
Commit now to learning how to slow down in this fast paced world, as it is a tool of the enemy to keep you from the goodness of the Lord. This is a journey and mission worth committing to. I need this. You need this. Our world needs more Christians modeling this well.
I want more for you too, and I am praying for you in this. Leave a comment below or reach out to me with your thoughts on this topic and prayer requests, and be sure to share this blog with others who need it too.
Email Cody: betterequippedwithcody@gmail.com
Here are a few helpful resources as you continue on this journey toward being still with the Lord and finding your rest in Him:
FIND THIS BOOK "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" HERE: https://a.co/d/bc8eqAc
Your Brother In Christ,
Cody Balch
Better Equipped