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the Spirit of the Lord came upon one of the men standing there. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite who was a descendant of Asaph.15 He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!”
2 Chronicles 20:14-17 NLT
Growing up in a household of four children provided the perfect environment for scuffles. It became like second nature to jump in and help whoever you perceived to be on the “right” side of the battle. And whether you won or lost, the most important part was that you had jumped in and defended your position. Yet as I continue to walk with God, I am reminded that it’s not always my battle to fight.
In 2 Chronicles 20, we see that sometimes God instructs us to stand still. I don’t know about you, but it’s hard for me to just do nothing. But what I’ve learned is that it’s not “doing nothing,” it’s trusting God with the outcome. Sitting in a posture of trust requires obedience and obedience requires doing something; obeying God. There are seasons in life when in order to see a victory, we have to sit down and watch God move.
As believers, we know that we are not equipped to fight battles alone. There are supernatural battles taking place all around us (Ephesians 6:12). It may seem like second nature to jump in and help. But if God instructs us to be still, then that’s what we should do. It is not always our battle to fight. This is our opportunity to practice obedience and remain in a posture of trust. Never forget to ask yourself, “Who’s Battle Is It Anyway?”
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I know that most people are in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season, but December always reminds me to slow down and reflect. It’s something about the cold weather that forces me to cozy up and sit still… I believe the stillness opens
With a little over 30 days left in the year, it’s easy to put a pin in new ideas or projects until the new year. As tempting as enjoying the pause may be, there are some things that we have been called to do that require our action now. Spiritual callings require our steadfast attention, not temporary devotion when our schedules allow. In this season, the Lord has been challenging me to finish well.
In a culture that values purpose and spiritual gifting, it’s interesting how quickly we toss them to the side when we’re fatigued or distracted. We yield to the flesh instead of the Holy Spirit’s guidance. We abandon how we show up out of convenience; missing opportunities to share the Gospel or be the hands and feet of Christ. Simply put, we fail to finish well.
El Roi. The God who sees me. When we talk about Hagar, we often refer to this tender exchange. This exact moment in the wilderness when she encounters God… when she accepts correction and instruction to return to a tense situation… when she receives the promise concerning the son in her womb… when she recognizes that she is seen and known by name. Yes, this is a pivotal moment, marked with such a significant name, and as I began to walk through Hagar’s story, to be seen, is so much deeper than watching someone visually.
“Are you going to try for another one?”
The ink on our marriage certificate wasn’t even dry before people began to ask when my husband and I were planning on having children. This seemingly innocent question was often met with ‘we don’t know’ outwardly, but inwardly it reinforced the shame of not being able to conceive a child.
I am the one in four.
If you or someone close to you is in need, we would be honored to lift you up in prayer. We believe in the power of prayer to bring peace, comfort, and reassurance during times of hardship. Our community is ready to join together and pray as we trust in God’s love and unending grace.
