You need only be still. Sweet friend, that’s always been a tough thing for me, being still. Knowing many of you as I do, being still is tough for you too. In most cases being people of action is what drew you and me together in the first place. There are times in my life, and I’m betting in yours too, when it’s just so difficult not to act – when it’s not easy to tell which acts God has called us to do and which acts are solely His.

In man-made projects I’ve been reminded by colleagues at times to “Stay in my lane” especially when I was younger and my actions over reached into someone else’s responsibilities. In my own work with educators and as a children’s ministry leader, I teach adults and children to focus only on what they can control – their own actions and attitudes – because it’s not efficient or effective to spend energy or time worrying over what they can’t control.

As I examine God’s promises in Exodus 14:14 below, I am reminded that just as we have a “lane” at work, at home, or in ministry, we have a “lane” in God’s Kingdom work too. There are times when He calls us to act and guides our steps and words and there are times when He says, “Step back. It’s My turn. You just trust in Me.” There are times when He calls us to actively fight against injustice or unfairness, to correct with love those who slander us, to stand up to those who would abuse us or overlook us or others and in those times He promises to be with us no matter the odds against us (check out Elijah 18 for a great example of this promise in action).

But there are also times when He promises that our stillness is all that’s needed because He will fight for us. In those times, when we get out of our “lane” and over into God’s, our actions, our words, they don’t stop God’s great plan, nothing can do that, but they do interfere with our ability to see it roll out because we’re so focused on ourselves or the problem we face that we don’t see the work of His hands. We don’t see the goodness He brings, don’t give Him glory for the outcome because we missed it while fighting a battle that wasn’t ours to fight.

Beloved one, it’s so important to listen to Holy Spirit’s leading each moment of each day. It’s so vital that we know God’s many promises and pray in alignment to them. As you go about your day today, I challenge you to proclaim, pray, and prepare for His promise:

Father God, You will fight for me. Whatever comes I do not need to worry or fuss or fret, to struggle or scheme or strive. God I know that I only need to listen for Your voice, to look for the working of Your hands. Lord, it’s so difficult at times to sit back, to close my mouth, when situations around me seem unfair or when people I love seem headed or thrown down wrong paths. God, I want to be a partner in Your plan, to cooperate with Your workings. Help me know when and what to speak and when and how to act that I may be aligned to Your plan, that I may be able to not only see the works of Your hands, but to point them out to others. Lord let both my action and inaction bring You all the glory. When the battle is won, let others see always You and never me. May I always point others to You for God You are always there for me and You will always be there for them too. May I and all Your children learn how to be still that we may see the fulfillment of Your promise to fight for us. Amen (Let it be so now).