In this fast-paced world we live in – a world that pressures us to be the best, accomplish much, and be as active as we can – we can easily get tired, worn out, and filled with doubts. I think each of us can relate, right? The pressure can be squeezing the life out of us. There is good news, though. This verse in Psalms 37 gives us two specific remedies to combat fatigue and doubts. Let’s take a look…
Remedy #1: Be still in His presence! For those who have been Christians for a minute know this principle. In fact, it may seem redundant. Oh yes, I know that I should rest in the Lord. I know that I should take time each day to read my Bible. While this is true, we often neglect it. We are so busy we don’t get enough sleep. When we don’t get enough sleep, some things take a back seat. And the first thing to go is “being still.” But if we looked at why we should be still in His presence, we might make it a bigger priority.
Being still welcomes the voice of the Lord. We cannot hear God speaking when our minds and hearts are filled with all that outside noise. Being still changes our perspective. It’s in our quietness that God pours His perspective into our hearts. And having a God-determined perspective changes a lot for us. Being still gives us strength. Strength to keep going on, strength to endure, strength to walk in the ways of the Lord. Being still helps us to be more productive in our Kingdom work. Our Kingdom work will falter and fail if we don’t take time to be still. Being still keeps us from burnt-out. So, let’s make time today to be still in His presence.
Remedy #2: Wait patiently for him to act! This is called expectation. God has speaking to me about living in an expectant mode every day. God is always working and He’s always working in your life and for your best interest. I do think that we often don’t recognize the things God is doing. Maybe He has answered a prayer, but you can’t see it because you haven’t been looking. Perhaps He has moved in a loved one’s heart, but you can’t see it because you haven’t taken the time to notice. Or maybe He’s given you another piece of revelation but you haven’t recognized it.
Here’s the thing… to see the things God is doing, we must live in an expectant mode. Expecting God to do the miracle, expecting God to open heaven’s gates for a loved one, expecting God to give us one more piece of heaven’s revelation. I believe God is doing all the above, but we often neglect to see it. So, I’ve decided to start an “expectant” journal… a journal that will go with me throughout the day. I’m going to use my “note” app on my phone and every time I see something God is doing (no matter how little it might seem), I’m going to record it. My guess is that at the end of every day, that list will be long. Will you join me?