Be Still...

“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”

— Psalm 46:10 (NKJ)

It is hard to hear clearly in the midst of a frenzy. Whether it is a storm or just the daily tasks of your life, directions can be hard to find and vision can be hard to establish. God is always aware of everything in your life. He is never separated from us by the challenges or sorrows that may often seem to consume us. Usually the thing that keeps us in a struggle the longest isn't the enemy we face but our own thoughts about how to beat it. It is our tendency to believe we can fix things for ourselves by ourselves. Psalms 100:3 states,  "Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves". Our insistence that we alone know how to succeed and which steps are best for us, only serves to deny the truth. The truth is every victory and every blessing is directed toward us by God alone. The truth is our ways are not His ways and our thoughts are not His thoughts. He alone is able to do the impossible. Only God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we ask or think. We must have faith that He will. When we are still we can see that God is working things out perfectly for our good. It doesn't mean it will be easy or comfortable or always pleasant. It means that when we get out of the way and cast our cares on Him, He will still be God.  He will win. He will rescue. He will deliver, save, conquer, bless and comfort. He  will be exalted. Trust Him.

Time To Show And Prove

““So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God.* Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?” ”

— James 2:17-20 (NLT)

Just like love, faith requires action. You can not fully express love for someone without showing it by the things you do. Faith also requires that you act in accordance with what you believe. When we fast or give or witness to others, we place action to our beliefs. We believe that God will meet our actions by fulfilling his promises for us. Take a moment and think about what you say you are believing God for today and what you are praying for God to do in your life. Career, family, finances, or healing are just some of things we might be hoping for this year. Now take a moment and ask yourself, "If I believe (have faith) that God will do what I need, how am I acting like it? Am I out looking for a job, working on my resume and submitting it when I can? Am I working toward a better relationship or trying to improve my own communication skills and be more open and forgiving? Am I exercising or eating healthier? Am I tithing and giving to those in need? How am I showing my faith?" Remember, it is not about your ability to do it or about other people's willingness to cooperate or reward you. It is only about your belief (expressed by your actions)  that God will reward those that diligently seek Him.