The silence is almost deafening to my anxious heart, as I reach to select a music channel to fill the awkward void.

A million thoughts running through my head, memories flooding my mind and threatening to steal my peace.

I find myself in this place far less than I used to, but every once in awhile, I fail to detach and just be still.

It’s as if my mind takes me captive: I’m sitting tied to the base of a tree, with branches of thoughts swaying above me, and there I am, unable to move freely beneath them.

Yet I still hear a voice. It’s faint, and it’s gentle, lovingly whispering to my anxious and panicked soul, “be still my child”.

I don’t fully understand why I have wrestled my entire life, with the idea of being still, but I know I am not alone. You too, friend?

There’s something uncomfortable about silence, isn’t there? Not always, I realize, but it’s definitely uncomfortable more times than not. For instance, we can be sitting with a friend, enjoying tea or coffee, and chatting, and when it gets quiet, there’s this awkward moment when each of us feel pressured to fill the void… sometimes we do, while other times we do not.

There is one lesson I learned, while caring for my Mom before she passed: sitting still and waiting on the Lord is not a single decision we make in a single moment; it is a process we must choose every single day, again and again. At least for me, that’s the case, maybe for you or others, waiting on the Lord in silence is easier than it is for me. I’m not sure, but in the stillness, and in the waiting, I have learned to listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, as He whispers Hope, Love, Encouragement, Strength and Joy into my wanting, needing heart.

As I sit in silence, I am reminded of the following verses:

Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!
-Psalm 27:14 NKJV-

But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
-Isaiah 40:31 NKJV-

It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the Lord.
-Lamentations 3:26 NKJV-

All three of these verses speak directly to waiting on the Lord, and the blessings that comes from obediently surrendering:

• He will strengthen your heart:

From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
-Psalm 61:2 NKJV-

• He will renew your strength:
  

• • You will mount up like eagles! Have you heard the saying “Birds-eye view”? It means, “a general view from above, or as if from above”. Birds mostly fly together, and at lower heights than eagles. The eagle is known for flying on its own and at an altitude of up to 10,000 feet. I find it so beautiful to note that God chose His Word so perfectly. He says we will mount up like eagles, which means, we will rise above everything on earth, and have a view from the sky, of our situation, and of His mercy and grace at work in our situation(s). Isn’t that beautiful? He doesn’t say we’ll rise up like a sparrow, or any other bird; those birds are smaller, fly in flocks, and are not alone. He chose the eagle, in order to show us that while we may face something difficult, and alone, He has placed us above it all, with Him, and He is gifting us with a birds-eye view to get us to our destination. It’s from this birds-eye view that we’re able to see obstacles in our way, otherwise unseen to us. It’s where we’re able to soar above danger, and stay safely hidden under the shadow of the Almighty. I find this so promising and beautiful!

• • You’ll run and not be weary! Regardless of how far you have to run, how deep the pain is, or how lonely you are, you will not be overcome with weariness, God will strengthen you so you can endure the race set before you.
    

    Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
    let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,
    and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
    looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,
    who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,
    despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
    -Hebrews 12:1-3 NKJV-

• • You’ll walk and not faint! God says in His Word that He will not allow your foot to be moved and that He won’t slumber. Unlike us, God doesn’t need to rest – He’s on call 24/7/365 so when we’re soaring with Him, as eagles, He is protecting us from falling and will never leave nor forsake us.

    He will not allow your foot to be moved;
    He who keeps you will not slumber.
    -Psalm 121:3 NKJV-

• He will save those who hope and wait! I know first hand, what it’s like to lose hope and to feel defeated. When the world is crumbling down around us, it’s so easy to focus on what we see, rather than waiting on the Lord, and allowing Him to renew our strength in order to change our perspective. You see, when we wallow with the swallows, we get swallowed up by bitterness. But when we soar with the eagles, we get rest and strength and we don’t lose hope! 

  Why, my soul, are you downcast?
  Why so disturbed within me?
  Put your hope in God,
   for I will yet praise him,
   my Savior and my God.
  -Psalm 42:11 NIV-

Friend, whatever you are facing today, I realize it is easy to just sit at the base of that tree and wallow, but God has called us to rise above it all, and soar with Him to new heights, hoping and trusting in His promises to get us to the end of our race.

Praying God’s richest blessings are yours in the coming days. Praying for His strength to carry you when you can’t carry on. His mercies are new every morning – cling to them! As you wait on Him He will faithfully renew your strength, give you hope and a future in Him and you will not be weary nor faint!!

With Love Always,