Be Still and Know
What Does One Do With Uncertainty?
Today, I was reading about Joseph in Genesis 42-43, and Zechariah 2:6-13. This is piece of the Torah portion for this week, the Messianic Jews are reading at this time. During this time, I was reading, and rereading these portions of the account of Joseph and what was spoken to Zechariah.
Commentary:
Joseph had ample hours, days, months, and years to seek God and His will for His life. He had no choice in what was to be in His life, but God was in control all of the way. God blessed Joseph exceedingly and abundantly. Notice Joseph was forgiving, patient, humble, and showed lovingkindness to his brothers. He sought how he could love them, with wisdom and with grace, which he was given by God. He gave God glory and his brothers in the end repented due to his mercy and grace. A tribulation that was blessed due to waiting on God and His will. God led Joseph on how to handle his brothers, while God did the work in their hearts. It took time, but in the end, reconciliation did occur. Waiting on God produces blessings and a witness that He is faithful, loving, and a good God. Even in uncertainty. He expects repentance and humbleness, before the blessing. He worked in Joseph's life first, even he had a choice to be forgiving at this point. God knew Joseph's heart and mind. He had done the work through those trials ahead of this point. We can't be effective at serving God, if we are not right first.
Then, you get to Zechariah. This portion is concerning, Israel, Jerusalem, and all nations being put back into order. It speaks concerning how the nation of Israel, Jerusalem, and all the nations that are in Christ Jesus will become His people. We become God's people when we come to Christ Jesus. Jesus must be our God, our Lord, our Savior, and just like Joseph's brothers...we must repent before our Almighty God in truth. No lies, as He knows and sees. In this though, I was reading this portion and it spoke to me about His expectation of us to be still before Him:
Zechariah 2:13--Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord for He is aroused from His holy habitation.
I find this interesting. This is about how God will move on behalf of His people. This is a genuine movement of our God in our lives and on this earth. He will shake and break down all barriers and all wickedness that is before His kids. We, in Christ Jesus, are His kids and He doesn't take it lightly when we are persecuted, afflicted, and the like. He will deal with all those whom come against His kids in any way. He uses those situations for His glory and He will deal justly and righteously for our needs, cause, and the like.
Knowing this, understand...while the wait seems deafening, it is just a moment. Our lives are but vapor in light of the future that awaits us in eternity. Keep your perspective pure and know you are never alone in your struggle.
Personal Experience:
Even as I write this, there is a serious uncertainty in many aspects of my life, at this time. I am choosing to be a light in a dark place. I am not always smiling and not always dry eyed either. I am crying and seeking Him. I am constantly reminded to be thankful and to praise Him. I legitimately seek alone time with Him in order to take time to express my heart, express my joy in Him, express my thankfulness to Him, and to sing and dance for Him. Just with Him. It is everything to me, that we can go before the throne of grace and love and seek His will, feeling sad and weak in heart, and He listens. All the while, we are getting giddy before Him about His never-ending and never-changing love for us. He is truly mine. Is He yours too?
Application:
Take a moment to read these scriptures and contemplate them (Selah, is the term used in the psalms to say...reflect, ponder, consider). Ask God to help you dig deeper into the freshwater with your roots in Jesus our Love and Lord. He will help you. It is worth the bumpy ride to get to this kind of peace and joy. This is why I am here....to share that it will be painful, but there is peace, comfort, and joy despite it all. How great of a God we serve and love. If you don't get it, then you need to know Him more or actually "know" Him through Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus is the only way to know God. He is the only way to eternal life. Do you know this true peace? Do you know the joy of the Lord? Do you know His comfort?
What does it mean to be still. In another posting, it speaks about being mentally still before the Lord. As David discussed in the Psalms. Not like the meditators of the new age religions. This is where they make their minds completely empty, which allows demonic beings to influence thoughts and actions. This is a stillness and peace before the Lord our God, the Creator of the universe. This is stillness in terms of not fretting and spiraling into chaos in your mind and the physical. Keeping your mind and body at peace about a situation or what is to come.
An example of this chaotic movement would be that we are protesting in fear and perseverating (hyper focusing) on something that is not at all in our scope of control. It could be as simple as uncertainty in your finances, your job, your health, or the health of others. It could also be as simple as fretting about the future of a literal tomorrow, or the next hours in the same day. It depends on how the dominos fall in your life and in your world.
God teaches us in various places, old and new testament about trusting Him, waiting on Him, and seeking Him for all things. We are to seek Him with thankfulness, in truth, and in humbleness. We are to focus on loving and serving Him and loving and serving others.
It is impossible to serve and show love to God, if we are not trusting Him. We have to learn this trust though. While He never changes and is always faithful to His word and who He is, it is on us to do our due diligence to lean in and give it all to Him.
People speak about repentence, as if this is something that is just said and done. It is a change of mind, which in turn, is a change in heart and our being. We tend to think that if we just say it, it will solve everything. Not so, it is a purposeful and intentional change in thought and behavior. Humans are given a free will to choose how they act, think, and what they say. It is a change in mind that determines true repentence.
Well, may I so boldly say, we need to repent of our control over our uncertainty. We need to repent of our lack of trust of God and willingness to give it all to Him? I choose to choose Him for the stewarding of my time, life, and well-being overall. He is faithful, good, and worthy to be my authority.
It truly is a matter of "who is your authority?" This isn't about a control that parents have over children, or a slave with a master. This is about choosing to trust our loving and all knowing Creator to know what is best for us. Otherwise, He wouldn't be God and He wouldn't be good and faithful. Right?
Abba Father God is such a loving Creator, that He is allowing us to learn how to "dance" or to "move" with Him. He allows us to grow at our pace and in our ability. Not all grow at the same rate, not all are going to grow the same way. That is what our wonderful Creator God loves about His creation, we are each unique and have our own abilities and ways to navigate this world He made for us.
It is our choice, which He gives with all grace, wisdom, and authority, to know Him, seek Him, and trust Him. It is a learning and not a knowing, as we grow in Christ Jesus. Just like in a family, we grow in different ways and manners. Each child and so on are unique and while we see an unpredictable nature about children and their future, our God is all knowing and powerful. He sees and knows.
With this in mind, we can safely assume Abba Father God has our best interests in mind, and is a safe place to go to get help. He may not say it, He may not answer the way we expect, but He will do as He wills. It will be good for us, the ultimate best for us, but the beauty is...we get to give Him glory through it all.
Are you willing to lay it down? Are you willing to seek other ways to invest your time, your worries, and your toil in this life?
I don't say this without experience. I have gone through too much to express here, to help you understand my experience. What I have been learning (still learning to apply efficiently and effectively), is during these storms of uncertainty:
1. First and foremost: Pray: I seek Abba God (my perfect, good, and loving God), Jesus our God and King (who understands our struggles, and is the perfect Shepherd and High Priest), and the God, the Holy Spirit, (our interceder before the throne of our Abba God, and our teacher and comforter) to help and get guidance from.
2. Read, Meditate, and contemplate, the Word of God (the biblical scriptures, Genesis through Revelation) for what our God might help me with concerning these things in my life. I keep my mind in check on what is true, good, and what I can control. What can I really control, but what is before me at that moment, right?
3. Wait on Him What does this mean really? Wait? Waiting for me is not doing anything, not speaking to someone about the situation, not responding, etc. It is actually waiting for a clear path, as God calms the storm before us, and allows our boat to rest safely on the right path before us.
Practically:
Practically, I try to do just that above. But while I wait, what do I do?
1. I ask others to pray for me, without all the details (if you must give details, then keep it short and sweet and discern those to whom will take it as a prayer request and not a plea for advice) not all prayer requests are equal for all people, even friends and family. Some people could use just "please pray for me" "please pray for my situation, God knows" etc.
2. Seek Him in prayer always first, before going into detail with anyone. It is good to pray before you seek prayer from others, even texting requests. This is a pattern to get your mind to seek Him and His kingdom first, rather than the physical relationships, on earth first. Your friends and family are not god, they are people God made. They don't know what God will do, so why seek them first?
3. While I wait, I read His word and I sing worship. I don't look for answers, but seek Him for His word on the matter. He is faithful to bring us to that one scripture or book in the bible to understand what needs to be seen and understood about our situation.
4. Worship is mentioned above, because, when under a lot of pressure, it can be too hard to focus on His word. He is faithful to speak in songs. He really does. Listen, sing, and dance to the lyrics. If you know our God well, you will hear His word amongst the worship leaders you listen to. Just ask Him to tell you through the worship, and He will use that at times.
5. Remember and express thankfulness: Joseph remembered what God did for him, and Israel is constantly remembering what God did for them through their feasts and their observances. Remember what He has done already in your life. Write it, speak it, profess it to another. Whatever that look like...speak about your Father God, and our beautiful King Jesus, as if He were there with you in the physical and you are introducing Him to another with love and adoration. Praying to Him and telling Him in the secret is just as good.
5. Serve Him. Once you have that peace and joy that makes no sense come over you, or even when you are still not quite there and feeling that burden...begin to serve Him. Seek Him and all else will be handled, right? Well...ask Him how you can serve Him while you wait. It becomes as a breath of fresh air to keep your mind on Him and His business, and not yours (which you can't control any who).
How Do I Seek His Kingdom First?
What ideas could you do to serve Him? Well...that is up to Abba to direct your steps. He is faithful to supply the work, as the laborers are few, but the harvest is plentiful. Can I get an AMEN?!?
1. Check in on those family and friends and seek out their well-being. Ask them how you can pray for them. It is a good solid step to love others, love God, and to fulfill the great commission. Then pray! Don't say you will pray and don't. Do what you said. God is faithful to remind you. Write these requests down and make it a habit to intercede daily for them, or as God leads. He is faithful to remind you.
2. When you see a friend in need, pray and seek how you can fill that need. No need to wait on God for this one, God will honor any desire to love another and bless you along the way. Maybe the trial set before you was the catalyst necessary to get you to move? No? Yes?
3. Go out and seek whom you may love. That is as simple as handing out Bibles (new and old together please!!!), a pamphlet to give the gospel or encourage our family (discipline)...this is the great commission, right?
4. Write and share your testimony...Youtube, blogging sites, etc, are all ways in which to give out the gospel, disciple, and to share your gifts with the world. Focus on what God called or calls you to do. We all have a purpose...or we wouldn't be here still. Just saying. 😅
These are just a few ways in which to serve God, serve others, and get your mind outside of yourself.
Scriptures:
- Genesis 42:1-38
- Genesis 43:1-34
- Zechariah 2:13
- Psalm 26:1-12
- Isaiah 26:1-21
- Matthew 6:25-34
- Matthew 11:25-30
- Isaiah 12:1-6
- Proverbs 11:25
- Galatians 5:22-23
- Psalm 40:1-17
- Psalm 42:1-11
- Psalm 43:1-5
- John 14:6
- John 14:19-24
- John 13:34-35
- John 15:27-16:4
- John 16:8-11
- Philippians 2:27-30
- Philippians 3:7-16
- Philippians 4:4-14
- Psalm 46:1-11
- Proverbs 16:9
- Proverbs 16:3
- Proverbs 17:3
- Psalm 103:1-22
- Psalm 37:1-40
- Psalm 34:1-22
- Psalm 33:1-22
- Psalm 27:1-14
- Psalm 28:1-9
- Psalm 29:1-11
- Psalm 30:1-12
- Psalm 50:15
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14-28
- Luke 18:1-8
- Deuteronomy 34:1-12
- Psalm 89:1-52
- Psalm 102:1-28
Worship:
Youtube Blurb Isaiah 12-Praise You, Oh Lord //Bible in Song//Project of Love
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