Sit Still

Waiting on God: Finding Strength in Stillness

Bible Passage: Psalm 40:1-10

Summary: Psalm 40 describes a heartfelt cry for help and deliverance. Verses 1-10 reflects on past encounters in which the writer had to call on God for help in times of difficulty. It also reminds us that God hears and responds to our cries for help. The chapter starts out with telling the reader of times when patiently waiting for God amidst trouble was beneficial. Why? Because God’s ears heard the cries of one of his precious children.

Too often during difficult situations, unknowingly, we turn against God’s timing, guidance, and God’s will for our lives. We try things our way, other’s way, and even things that are a little out of the way. And then we try and seek God. Hence the old saying, “Well all we can do now is pray.” We’ve got to get into the habit of putting God first, and stop using Him as a last resort.

If you look at verse 4 of this chapter you will find the words, “Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust”, and I’m reminded of a very familiar verse over in Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding.” If you continue on to Proverbs 3:6 you will find the words, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.”

In other words, we shouldn’t make a decision without FIRST getting guidance from God. See, when we seek God first, we not only get guidance, but we also get the strength that it takes to make it through troubling situations. We have to remember to stop putting God last, and expect Him to put us first. We have to learn to embrace stillness in troubling times, and trust that God’s timing and guidance is perfect in every way, even when it goes against what we want to do. Relying on God in your times of trouble deepens your faith in Him. It will get you to a point that the psalmist is in whenever you find yourself in any type of trouble. You’ll remember what God brought you through and have faith that He’ll do it again.

Psalm 40:6 says,“Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; Mine ears hast thou opened.” Sacrifice and offerings were a major part of the OT laws, but God isn’t necessarily pleased with that. He wants your obedience. In other words, He wants your ears open to His commands and guidance. And once He gives it to you, you’ll got out and execute with the faith of knowing that He’ll get you through it. Remembrance is key to that type of faith. Obedience in waiting and sitting still aligns us with God's will and purpose for our lives.

In times of trouble, we need to learn to sit still, seek God, and trust that if He brought us out of EVERY other situation, He can bring us out of this one too.

But, in order to truly understand sitting and waiting on God’s guidance, I want to break down the word “still” in 3 different ways.

1. Still. As in a still state of mind. Which means calm and quiet: Free from noise or disturbance.

a. Too many times we find ourselves doing the complete opposite when we are faced with trouble in our lives. Simply because the biggest challenges our faith has are fears and self doubt.

b. If you look at Luke Chapter 10 when Jesus comes into town and is welcomed into the house of Martha and Mary, there are two completely different reactions that take place.

i. Martha is running herself crazy trying to serve. The Hebrew word used to describe Martha’s behavior is “periespato” (pear-ri-spa-oh) which conveys the idea of being pulled or dragged in different directions.

ii. Mary sits at the feet of Jesus. And she listens.

2. If you look over into 1 Kings 19:12 after Elijah flees from Jezebel and has gone on a 40 day journey in the wilderness, he is asleep in a cave on Mount Horeb when God speaks to Him.

a. The Bible tells me that there came a strong wind that broke rocks off the mountain, an earthquake, and a fire, but the Lord was not in either one. After all this came a still, small voice.

b. Which brings me to my second definition of the word still. Which means like a whisper.

i. God’s voice is soft and may be hard to hear if you focus your attention and ears on what is happening around you.

3. Which brings me to my final breakdown of the word still. But this time I want to spell it a little different. This time I’m spelling it S-T-E-A-L. As in to steal away. Which means to leave a place quietly; secretly; without drawing much attention.

a. If you look over to Matthew 6:6 when Jesus is speaking, He tells the crowd “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”

i. The verse says when thou hast shut thy door. Let’s rephrase that. When thou hast shut out all disturbances. When thou has shut out all noises, THEN you pray to thy Father.

ii. In order to truly be still, and to listen the small still voice, you have to steal away to your prayer closet.

The next time I’m in times of trouble I will remember what God has already brought me out of in the past. I will remember how God switched my playlist from Sam Cook’s “A Change is Gonna Come”, to Lashun Pace “I Know I’ve Been Changed”. From Smokie Norful “I Need You Now,” to Dottie People’s “He’s An On Time God”.

I will remember how God delivered me from chaotic fear, to harmonized faith.

I will remember how God established my goings”, which means God changes his believer from being weak and wavering to providing them with stability and security.