Some lessons in my faith walk have taken longer to learn than others. Standing, for example. That was a hard lesson for me.
Sounds super uneventful. I know.
Standing still is difficult for this slightly ADHA, busy body mom. Not just in the natural, but spiritually as well. “Just” focusing on Him doesn’t come easy to me, but over the years I have been blessed with plenty of opportunities to learn this valuable lesson.
This is a glimpse into part of my soul healing journey. As I have healed, more understanding has come and, I am sure, more layers will unfold before me as I press into a deeper comprehension of this concept. I do love learning, but I am not always so keen on applying the learned things to my faith walk. I don’t consider myself a slow learner, though perhaps by some standards I may be. I learn it. I love it. But applying it. Eh.
So. Back to the standing.
There are seasons in life where life hits hard and you have to choose where you put your trust. Circumstantial information or God. Sometimes those are the only two choices. When I have trusted the Lord over what life has thrown at me, I needed strategy. I needed to know what to do and how to do it. Not mine, His. His strategy and His battle plan.
This is it. Are you ready?
Stand. Stand?!?!?!
How very motionless and ineffective that sounds to a woman who loves to be actively involved. Use me, Lord! Send me! Let me loose on this situation! Give me words to say and actions to do! Tell me what to do. What prayer can I speak, what word can I profess, what worship song can I apply here to fight effectively in this battle? All of those, when used at the appropriate time effective and life giving. But not when He tells you to stand.
My heart, ready to receive the call to charge.
Stand.
Just stand.
Stand firm.
So much in our life revolves around forward motion. Life itself is in forward motion at all times.
I love how God shows us so many parallels between our Christian walk and concepts of our natural life.
Like the parallel between learning how to walk and growing in your Christian walk.
We crawl, we learn to pull up on things, we learn to take a few steps on our own, we fall, we learn to get back up, we fall again and yet we have tasted the freedom of being able to maneuver our own body around, over and under the obstacles in our way into the loving arms of our parents and so we get up and try again. Perhaps this time with a bit more determination.
At first just being able to take two steps is a huge deal. With time we gain confidence and can walk small distances. Eventually running and jumping come naturally to us.
The author of Hebrews 12:1 likens the Christian walk to a race we are running:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
The Apostle Paul goes even further with it and compares our walk to a very competitive race in 1 Cor 9:24 where he says:
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize
Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable.…
So many scriptures teach us about the walk, the run, even the soaring in our journey with Christ. Hear all of that exciting motion? I love it!
All so vital in the battle plan of spiritual warfare.
All so valuable, each having their time and place in our training for the race.
Training for battle. Yes! I want that. I want to pursue the things of God and fight the good fight. (1 Tim 6:12)
One of my favorite “battle scriptures” is found in Eph. 6.
It is THE armor scripture.
DAN , DAAN, DAAAAANNNNN (dramatic music)
Yes! THE scripture for putting on the armor of God! Wham! Power move for battle if you ask me.
We. You and I. We are training for battle.
In a battle that is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Eph 6:12)
Battle. Ok. Tell me what to do. The battle plan. I will put on that armor. The whole thing. Let me go get my eyeliner and slap some war paint on my face for good measure. I am so ready!
And then what? Now that we are ready. Armored. Trained for this race. Whats the plan?
Stand. Stand. Stand. Stand.
Sweet one. This is a brilliant battle strategy.
Standing still. Your feet fitted with peace. Shielded by faith. Protected by salvation. The word of God in hand. Powerful. Intimidating. Focused.
To me this strategy takes more focus than an “active” one. Being still. Knowing who He is and who I am in His presence. Not moved by circumstance, cultural trends or fear. It remains one of my favorite and also hardest lessons of life. The firm stance of a believer is effective and brings glory to the One who strengthens the stance.
He says, “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
So. Here I stand. I fix my eyes on my Commander-in-Chief.
He has trained me to be ready for this season. So I stand.
Leave a Reply