As I continue to seek out the many promises of God, I can’t help but marvel at how God has linked so many of His promises together. Still meditating on Exodus 14:14 (Be still. God will fight for you.), I can’t help but notice that our Master Teacher adds to that promise with more detail in Psalm 37:5-6.

Endeavoring today to continue to be still and watch for God’s hand, I am reminded in Psalm 37:5-6 of a lesson I learned earlier this year and a mantra of sorts that I have adopted: Obedience over outcome. God inspired the psalmist (thought to be David) to first write “Commit your way to the Lord and trust in Him” – that’s the obedience part – and then to write “He shall bring forth your righteousness as a light and your judgement like the noonday sun” – that’s God’s promised outcome.

When I adopted the mantra earlier this year, my experience seemed to be more in the lines of “Obedience over the immediate outcome” – as in I will obey God even when the outcome isn’t what I expect or want or there seems to be no outcome at all. Reflecting on Exodus 14:14 and Psalm 37:5-6 and my current study of Elijah, I find myself amending my thoughts on obedience over outcome to: Obey and then be still so you can see God’s promised outcome.

Sweet friends, I know that sometimes we obey God completely, we do everything as He requires, but it still seems like more is wrong around us than is right. I know that in those moments it is difficult to do your part and then be still. BUT God – two of my favorite words when put together – God has promised us that when we obey, He will act. When we commit our ways to Him and we trust in Him to make things right – by being still instead of picking at or worrying over things – He will make known our righteousness as the light; though others would cast shade our way, He will show our right actions and attitudes so brightly that others cannot miss them just as we cannot miss noticing the noonday sun high above us. Proclaim the promises of God friends! Pray in alignment to them. Prepare in anticipation of them being fulfilled!

Father God, I come to You this morning as Your action oriented daughter longing to learn to be better at being still. Though I have learned to sit on my hands to let you fight for me in the physical realm, my mind often still spins its wheels in the mental realm coming up with possible solutions, defenses, and work arounds should the outcome not be what I desire. God, I don’t want to live a mental life of exhausting back up plan creation. Lord, I commit my day and my ways to You and only You. Help me Lord to still my mind and focus only on seeing Your hands at work. You have told me that I need not worry, that I need only to focus on having holy hands to lift to You and Lord that is what I commit myself to do. Father I believe that in Your timing You will show all that is right and light will prevail in every situation because You have promised it. As You work, I will wait and not grow weary; You will raise me up on wings of eagles; I will walk and not grow faint. All praise and honor to You Lord my God! Amen.