Standing Still in Your Faith

The following reflection comes from the July 24th Morning reading. The scripture is Exodus 14:13, which states: Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.

Spurgeon comments at the beginning that these are the words of God to someone who is trapped on all sides by great difficulties and trials; but it is our nature to listen to other influences (or even ourselves) in trying to overcome it.

Despair tells us just to give up, Spurgeon says--but God would tell us to "rejoice in His love and faithfulness."

Cowardice tells us that we should run away and hide, that we cannot be the Christian we should be; we should give up our "principles." Spurgeon, however, points out that as children of God--called out as we are--we cannot follow this course and may need to remain still and endure to make some greater advance at a later time.

And to take this further, this is the growth and maturation of faith. That we would, in the midst of suffering and trial, recognize that He is in control of it and that He will make it come to pass and end in His time and that more importantly, He will give me the grace needed to complete it, to endure. Our ongoing sanctification is a purifying, a purging that while on the one hand makes us more holy, it makes us more aware of our need for Christ.

But Spurgeon also states, in almost a comparison with the psychological term "fight or flight", that we have a tendency to want to "do" something about our plight.

Preciptancy says that we must do something, sound the alarm and act--to merely wait is foolishness and idleness. However, doing nothing may be what God calls us to do because as God He will do EVERYTHING (though this does not preclude God using means through others, because going too far can lead to incorrect thinking on this matter).

Finally, our presumption might tell us to jump into something and expect a miracle, but Faith tells us to wait on the Lord and He will guide us, through prayer and the Word. God appoints all things for the proper time, and sometimes it is quite hard to be patient and wait upon the Lord.

We must be discerning in our thoughts and prayer to listen to the Lord and wait if we are called do so; but if the Lord says, "go," we must be ready to step out in faith knowing that He has strengthened us for the journey and will supply the grace to see us through.