A Prayer for When You Hear God Say ‘Be Still’
By Molly Law
“And the Lord answered me: ‘Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end — it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.’” -Habakkuk 2:2-3
It is culturally acceptable, even encouraged to go, go, go! We live in a hustle-centric culture, one to which I, like many of us, have fallen prey. I feel, at times, like I can’t allow myself to rest. It takes so much mental energy to just convince myself I am not a failure or lazy for taking time to relax. I find myself believing the lies of the world that if I am not producing, I am worthless.
However, there are pathways in my career and other passion projects I am striving towards. As I pursue these outlets, doors keep opening and closing. In these moments, I find myself at a complete loss. I become frustrated because I do not know what God is doing. I felt like this calling, this path was from him. So, why am I still in the same place as I started?
As I approach the Lord in prayer, my answer becomes clear. I can either ignore what he is trying to tell me and push back even harder, just to spiral and end up back in the same place, yet more weary and broken. Or I can fall to my knees, rest in the comfort of my Lord’s presence, and submit to his answer to “be still.” I do not see this as God saying, “No.” I trust in his promises and guidance. I know his timing will be far better than my own.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
I know this will continue to happen throughout my entire life. But I also know as I get closer to my Savior and continually lean on him through prayer and Scripture reading, I find that God’s answers are not all black and white, yes or no. Every time I’m with him, he instills in me the importance of trusting him and his will. Although he allows me to tell him about my plans and cry out in frustration when they do not work out on my desired timeline, he will gently lead me back to a place of peace and contentment if I am willing to follow.
Let’s Pray:
Dear Lord,
Sometimes I do not understand what you are doing in my life. I often feel stuck, frustrated, and hopeless. I cry out in the same way David did — “I’ve been patient, obedient, and worthy of the pursuits that I know will glorify you.” I pray you will calm my heart and surround me with your overwhelming peace. I pray I will turn to you sooner when doors close and when you tell me to be still. I pray for your guidance and wisdom in all that I do. Thank you for your love, friendship, and parenthood in our lives. Thank you for seeing into those doors, into those opportunities the things we could never see, and protecting us from something only you know would bring us harm.
I pray we will come into your presence and know your desires for us, which will ultimately transform the direction of our lives to glorify you and your kingdom. Be with the broken hearts of those whose lives didn’t turn out the way they thought they would. I pray our ambitions will not cripple us, so we won’t believe the lies of the world that make us hustle and eventually burn out. I pray we find rest and peace in you. We love and trust you with all our hearts, our Father, and Prince of Peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Osman Rana
Molly Law is the former Editor of C.com. She has a Master of Arts in Publishing Studies from the University of Stirling, UK, where she studied and lived for a year in Scotland. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Professional Writing from Gardner-Webb University. Her editorial career includes Senior Editor of a bimonthly magazine for the nonprofit ACA and Editorial Assistant at Luath Press in Edinburgh, UK. She enjoys reading 18th-century British Literature, creative writing, and traveling.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
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