In quietness and confidence (trust) is your strength – Isaiah 30:15.
I’m adopting Isaiah 30:15 for a resolution this new year. I want to be quiet before the Lord and confidently trust in the Lord on a daily basis. This is the path to strength. Ecclesiastes 10:10 says, “If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.” I can work really hard, but if I’m not working wisely, my strength will be sapped.
If I practice quietness and confidence consistently, I will not:
- Fret over things I cannot control.
- Fume when people block my goals. Do I really think puny people are “bigger” than God, or that anyone can block HIS goals?
- Fixate on figuring out my problems. How’s that been working out for me?
If I practice quietness and confidence consistently, I will:
- Be proactive only after quiet discernment. Compulsion acts for action’s sake. In a crisis or in everyday life, wisdom pauses before the Lord to consider the most beneficial action. “Acknowledge Him in all your ways…”
- Be patient trusting answers will come when I need them. What if roadblocks are designed to trigger heartfelt talks with the Lord? Sometimes I bounce off roadblocks to go in another direction; sometimes I try to bust through roadblocks. Neither method is wise with a personal God. The reason quietness leads to strength is then I can “hear” Him, not in an audible way, but in the form of wisdom and guidance, which He promises in James 1:5-8. He cares about the details of my life.
- Be persevering even in the face of great setbacks, because I know setbacks are part of His grand plan. Someday I will understand all of the twists and turns of my life, though it may be in heaven. Psalm 46:10 reads, “Be still (or cease striving) and know that I am God.” This verse continues, “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” So I want to trust His overall plans. A huge part of His exaltation is His awesome goodness. He is, after all, good; and He is good all of the time.
Amen?
