WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WAIT SILENTLY FOR GOD ALONE?
David instructed his soul to wait silently for God alone. Perhaps his soul was feeling impatient and anxious. The two often go hand in hand. Impatience leads to worry, which leads to questions and doubts. David knew this, so he stilled his own soul, reminding himself of who God is. Depending on the Lord, he confidently declared that nothing could move him or shake him loose from God’s protection and care.
Are you becoming impatient in these difficult days? Has your impatience led to a “noisy soul,” an inner voice that constantly speaks with a questioning and anxious sound? Remember the fruit of the Spirit includes several important helps for us, especially at times like these. A recipe for a quiet soul that waits on the Lord must include some of these ingredients: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23).
Which of these might we exercise today to help quiet our soul and wait silently for the Lord? “Self-control” would help us command our inner life to be quiet, much like Jesus commanded the storm, “Peace, be still.” And speaking of “peace,” we certainly could use a large dose of that today. But let’s not forget “longsuffering,” which is Christian patience, for the Spirit that lives within us gives us great perseverance through difficulty and suffering.
As believers, the quiet patience of the Spirit dwells within us, so we are able to speak to our own souls as David did and not only that we are able in Jesus’ name, to speak a word of, “Peace, be still” to the world around us too.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we wait patiently and quietly for You today, knowing that You are in control. You are our Rock and Savior, our Defender. We shall not be moved. In Jesus’ name, amen.