Devotionals for the Heart: Being Still

You Need Only Be Still
A devotional by Wade Webster

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only be still.” –Exodus 14:13-14 (NIV)

“What verses do you use for encouragement when God is silent in your life?”

My life as a truck driver can be quite mundane most of the time. I deliver mattresses to stores.

This was the question Mary posed after we unloaded her order. There were no customers there at the time. I gave her a copy of my book, 100 Prayers of a Writer, a few months before this time when I heard Christian music being played on the radio.

I opened with how impactful Joshua 1:9 has been many times. She shared that that is the verse she has on her Facebook profile.

Then I went on to share how God led the Hebrews into a trap against the Red Sea, the mountains and the Egyptian army just so they would see His desire to fight for them. All they had to do is be still.

Before I finished tears were rolling down Mary’s cheeks. I normally don’t like making beautiful women cry but I knew God was speaking through me to her so I continued. “Do you believe the sun is still shining on a cloudy day?”

Mary blinked and wiped her cheeks. “Yes, of course it’s shining. I just can’t see it.”

“That’s the same way God is when we can’t experience Him the way we want to. He’s still there only silent. Keep believing and taking one step at a time. He’s there for you every step of the way.”

Mary shared that the theme of being still was the message being repeated to her. She also told me that she was just reading that section of scripture in her quiet time. God was definitely speaking to her about this. I was one more conduit He was using.

A month later I had the chance to put this theme to use in my own life. My sister let me use her lake house for a day alone before the Maranatha Christian Writers’ Conference. I planned on fasting and praying that day but the prayers didn’t come.

I spent the previous week on vacation visiting my six siblings one at a time. My old car was acting up again. Distractions were everywhere. I felt the Spirit speak to me to just be still. So I was. It was exhilarating.

As I went to the conference my car got worse. It looked like I was going to miss the first half day of it. After being misdiagnosed twice the problem was found and fixed in a matter of minutes. I only missed the first few minutes of the opening keynote address.

My first four one-on-one appointments were met with the same response, “Sorry, but your platform isn’t big enough for us to publish you at this time.”

Then the only agent in attendance asked me to send him one of my manuscripts. The next publisher asked for a different one. God was in control of all of it. I just had to be obedient and still and persistent.

I don’t know what problem you’re dealing with today. I know you’ve been doing all you can to fix it with no success. I have an idea for you to seriously consider. Let it go into God’s hands.

He can solve this dilemma in ways you never thought of.

All you have to do is be still.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ.

He currently lives in Plano, Texas. He's the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. 

Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side ... and the front and back and inside. 

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

~*~
Connect with Wade:
Website: http://wadewebster.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWadeWebster
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wadewebster1