(part 4 of “how to fight your battles”)
As we continue in this series “How To Fight Your Battles”, I wanted to look at two words in this post. These two words are very powerful and have had great meaning in my life. The two words are not spoken very often or by very many people in the Bible. However, when they are spoken they are at some of the most pivotal times in the lives of the people they are spoken to. I know that this is true because of when the two words showed up in my life. These two words are “Be still”.
Over the last several years, I have let the words “be still” run over my life. I have let the words “be still” infiltrate areas of my life that needed them the most. These words are (and have been) so powerful and helpful to me that I have them tattooed on my left hand between my wrist and my thumb. I see them every time I use a pen or type. They are right there in my face so I do not forget them... ever.
The words "be still" have such great power. But the trouble is since these words are a command spoken to people, we have a choice whether or not to let them affect our life. Let’s see what I mean.
Once again we go to Exodus 14 and see where God spoke these words to Moses and the Israelite people. As I have mentioned, in the other post in which this story is referenced, the Israelite people have just been let go from slavery in Egypt. They now find themselves at the Red Sea with nowhere to go because the Egyptian army is also pressing in on them. While they are watching this all unfold, Moses does what God tells him. Moses walks over to the Red Sea and holds his hand out over the sea. The Israelite people were probably thinking that Moses was crazy for doing that. They are all probably wondering how that was going to help because we see in the Bible that it took all night for the waters to part. [1] But God also had Moses tell the people these words as well:
“The Lord will fight for you; you only need to be still.” - Exodus 14:14, NIV.
There are those two words - BE STILL. But as I said toward the beginning of this post, we have a choice with these two words. We have the choice to sit, be still, and see what God is going to do. We also have the choice to be restless and try to continue to fight the battle on our own.
When I look at this story, I can imagine that in a group of people that size some did not want to be still. They saw Egyptians coming and probably were preparing for a battle to fight them off. But because of that mindset, those who were not being still probably missed the miracle that God was doing right before them.
Then I imagine that some decided to be still and see what God was going to do. This allowed them to see God in action as the waters slowly began to divide.
We can also miss what God is doing for our situation because we are not being still and letting him handle the battle. As I have said, it is our choice to be still and let God fight or to fight that battle on our own.
As I look back at a time when I just had to let God fight, I am reminded of the song that I came across during that time. The lyrics are:
“Be still and know that I'm with you
Be still and know that I am here
Be still and know that I'm with you
Be still, be still, and know” [2]
This song is not written by a Christian band or artist. But when I first heard these words about 5 years ago, I felt the presence of God right there in the room. At that time I didn’t know what was going to happen with my marriage and what the future looked like. But the words of the song just put me at rest. The song was on repeat and played over and over in my head during the coming weeks.
As I write this post, I still hear the words of the song being sung. I am reminded now, like I was then, that God is here. He is here. He will always be here. God was going to fight my battle for me. God was going to get me through the Red Sea when the time came. I just needed to let God do it and be still.
Maybe that is where you find yourself as you read this. Maybe you find yourself exhausted from fighting a battle that you just need to turn over to God. I encourage you to do that. I encourage you to let God fight that battle and be reminded of the words found in Psalm 46:
“He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’” - Psalms 46:10 NIV
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[1] Exodus 14:15-21, NIV
[2] Artist: The Fray
Song: Be Still
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Benjamin Wysocki / Isaac Edward Slade / David Michael Welsh / Joseph A King
Be Still lyrics © Emi April Music Inc., Little Bike Music, Lincoln & Ollie Music
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