Being still has been a theme with the Lord and me for several years. It is not surprising then, that as I began to seek out how to wait in the Lord He brought me back to this. Be still and wait on the Lord.
Psalm 46 Teaches When and How To Be Still and Wait On The Lord
“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 NKJV)
Be still and wait on the Lord is the clear meaning behind Psalm 46. Clear. The entire chapter speaks to our mighty God who will fight our battles! He says:
- Be still.
- Wait on the Lord.
- Don’t worry or fear.
- Let God fight the battle.
- Rest in Him.
Remember That God Is In Control
In a previous series 40-Days To Be Still we saw Psalm 46 in a different light.
The “be still” meaning in Hebrew in Psalm 46 comes from the word (raphah) which means:
- To relax, let go, and be quiet.
What we learn from this being still meaning is that we need to relax, and let go of our need to control everything.
Who else needs this reminder?
Read that Devotional ~> How To Remember God Is in Control: Be Still
The same God who created the universe is in control and will take care of you, so be still and exalt Him every day and in every season of life.
Do you see the tie into our topic today? Waiting on the Lord requires being still!
Why Be Still and Wait on The Lord?
Remembering that God is in control is both the how and why of how to be still and wait on the Lord, but let’s dig deeper!
Do you believe that God is in control? He created the universe, us included, and sits enthroned over eternity even as we speak. Here are just a few Scriptures that speak to God being in control.
- From the book of Job (Job 1:8-12), we see that in order for the enemy to touch us or our lives he must seek permission from the Lord.
- The Psalmist reminds us the earth belongs to the Lord (Psalm 24:1).
- Isaiah tells us that blessing and disaster come from the Lord’s hands (Isaiah 45:7).
This is a good thing for us as believers. God loves us and is for us! That means we can rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him and be still!
When you know why, when & how to be still, and wait on the Lord – hope and peace grow in your life. Share on XGod Is Our Refuge and Strength (:1)
“God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1 NKJV)
The Psalmist takes the idea that God is in control a step further. Not only is God in control of everything, he tells us, but the Lord is our help!
3 Benefits of Waiting Upon The Lord
There are many benefits of waiting on or in the Lord. The three benefits shown here are the ones I come back to again and again, however. They are everything!
- God is our refuge( a place of safety or shelter).
- God keeps us safe and sheltered from the storms of life!
- The Lord is our strength (courage, perseverance).
- He doesn’t demand that we be strong, instead He is strong for us, from within us through the power of the Holy Spirit.
- God is a very present help in trouble.
- He is here, holding us together, strengthening us for the battle.
We see these benefits repeated in the Bible verses about waiting patiently that we have been studying. The theme is important to encourage us as life gets hard!
Related Post: 50+ Waiting On The Lord Verses To Bring Hope
When to Be Still and Wait on the Lord?
Okay, so we wait because God is in control and God is for us, but when do we wait? I mean, we say in Psalm 37 where it says, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him,” but does that mean for everything, all the time?
- Fearful situations.
- When there is pressure to move quickly.
- When everything is falling apart.
Wait in Fearful Situations (:2-3)
“Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah” (Psalm 46:2-3 NKJV)
There are times when fear threatens to push us to act before we have sought the Lord. This is a time to wait. Some specific situations mentioned are:
- Earth is removed (hopes are crushed).
- Mountains are removed (dreams are destroyed).
- Waters roar and are troubled (emotions rage).
- Mountains shake and the oceans roar (the future and your security feel threatened).
Trust In The Lord
In this season, my hopes have been crushed and my dreams have been destroyed. My emotions range from anger to sorrow and the future and security I thought were firm have been threatened.
Into this season the Lord brought a song that says, “Lay all your broken dreams at the altar and every victory at the altar. Fear and anxiety can not live there. There’s no waste at the altar.”
Do you trust HIM enough to give god control of every hope, plan, feeling, and emotion?
- He will hide you when it seems like your whole life is falling around you.
- He will strengthen you for the trial; trust Him, wait on Him, be still.
Trust in the Lord is how we overcome fear when life gets harder than we expected!
Related Post: 40 Encouraging Bible Verses About Choices and Making Wise Decisions
When There Is Pressure To Move Quickly
“There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.” (Psalm 46:4-5 NKJV)
When life gets hard it feels like you are being pushed, or pressured to move and to move quickly. Remember that He is not a God of chaos or confusion but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). When there is chaos and confusion that seem to be pushing you toward moving (when you didn’t hear the Lord say move) you need to wait.
What Does It Mean To Wait On The Lord?
Waiting on the Lord is about getting where He is. The passage says there is a river of grace where God is. It is talking about being in His Tabernacle because He is there and it will not be moved.
As a New Testament believer, I am the temple of God. He is in me! That means that I will not be moved or shaken, even through mountains tremble and waves crash. His grace holds me fast, bringing joy and gladness in the midst of trials and pain. He is my help as the morning dawns.
How is that possible? The Holy Spirit lives inside of us, remember, He is our help.
When there is pressure to move or when you are being shaken by trials, turn toward Him for that promised shelter, strength, and help. It comes from time in His Word, in worship, and in prayer!!!!!
Related Post: Add Prayer and Fasting for Marriage Blessing
When Everything Is Falling Apart
“The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah” (Psalm 46:6-7 NKJV)
When everything around me is falling apart, God is fighting for me. God is fighting for you!
No matter the enemies, God is big enough to scare them away. Do you believe that? The Psalmist says they melt from fear of the anger of the Lord.
Related Post: How Can I Be Still and Trust God When Change Is Hard?
Fear of The Lord
Do you have a healthy fear of the Lord?
- He is the Lord of hosts (innumerable angel armies).
- He is the God of Jacob (our covenant-keeping God).
That Lord, the Creator of the universe, who is in control of all things, He is with me. He is my refuge. He is yours as well. Others fear Him, we just stand in awe of the fact that He chose us, loves us, and fights for us!
We can pray to Him, hide me under your wings through this trial.
“I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. (Psalm 57:1b NIV)
How to Be Still and Wait on God
We can be still wait on the Lord because we know He is in control and we know that He is in us and for us. But how do we wait on Him in that stillness?
After all, fearful situations, pressure and things falling apart require action. We can’t just sit quietly waiting for God to speak… can we?
So, what does it mean to wait for the Lord when we need to act?
To Wait On The Lord Is To Remember
There are so many ways to wait on the Lord, but when there is urgency, it is critical that we remember… Remember what?
- God has done great things in the past and He is doing great things right now.
- Stillness or trust was enough before, and will be enough now.
- The Lord is with you and for you, He will guide you when you wait on Him!
“Come, behold the works of the Lord,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.” (Psalm 46:8-9 NKJV)
Remember God Does Great Things (:8-9)
What amazing, miraculous things has God done in your past? Remembering what God has done can help you trust what He is doing now.
God does mighty works! Period. He is the God of the impossible, so be reassured of His power to handle your right now situation.
He is just, you can trust that the wicked will be punished!
The Lord brings peace. He is actually called the Prince of Peace! He promises that one day wars cease, weapons will be made useless and armies will be destroyed!
This is my God, the Mighty Warrior who fights for me (Zephaniah 3:17 & Exodus 14:14)! This is your God as well! Trust Him!!!!!!!!
Related Post: The Lord Has Done Great Things For Us: 3 Ways To Survive
Remember Trust Worked Before (:10)
“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 NKJV)
Trusting the Lord is the overarching theme of all of Scripture. That is the true wait on the Lord meaning, trust Him to care for you.
He tells us, point blank to be still. Trust Him and don’t fear or worry even when fearful situations arise, even when there is pressure, even when the trials are harder than you imagined. Trust Him.
To be still and trust Him means to wait on Him instead of making backup plans or complaining. You can do this!
Waiting on the Lord requires a constant reminder that He is faithful and His mine!
Remember God is With You (:11)
“The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah” (Psalm 46:11 NKJV)
Doesn’t it comfort your heart that He reminds us of this truth often?
God is with us. The Lord is our refuge. Our covenant, promise-keeping Savior has our back. Trust Him!
A Prayer To Be Still and Wait on the Lord
Might God, I trust that You are for me and You are in me to help me and strengthen me for this battle. I long for the day when hardship is overcome. Help me where I struggle to trust! Hide me in You today, Lord. Amen.
Will You Be Still and Wait on The Lord?
Psalm 46 issues a sort of challenge to be still and wait on the Lord in the midst of trials. Will you take up that challenge?
Will you remember that God is still in control?
Can you wait on Him even when there are fearful situations, even when there is pressure to move quickly and even when everything is falling apart?
Will you remember He has done great things and let the memory of those things hold you in hope of the great things He is doing even now in your waiting time?
That is the challenge I feel in my heart for this season of my life. He has us. Keep holding onto Him!
in HIS love,
Tiffany of Hope Joy in Christ inspires Christian Women to grow in faith, live out Biblical Marriage Principles and raise Godly Children. Join the Wives Only Facebook Group here or keep up with her through Pinterest.
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