We’ve gone down to the beach a lot lately because of the heat, and I love how each day is so different. One day it’s roaring, the next day it’s like a sheet of glass. Perfectly still. If you cast a stone into the glass it makes a splash, and then a ripple; then little waves come pushing upon the shore. If you cast a stone into a roaring lake, though, it’s as if nothing happens. You don’t notice a splash, or a ripple, or new waves... because there are already splashes and ripples and waves.
While praying in front of the still, calm lake the other day, the Lord showed me that’s how it is with us too. Sometimes the whirlwind around us stirs things up like the roaring lake — things become a little dirty, they’re moving fast, turning over, crashing hard, we become kinda angry and a little dark. We “cast our cares” like stones... but we don’t notice God’s response. We can’t hear or see anything over all the chaos.
But if we remove ourselves from the winds and roaring of day-to-day life, if we cast our cares on him in the stillness... then we WILL see it, hear it, and know it. Granted, sometimes we cast our stones so far into the deep that we might not see the “splash” of our prayer at the exact moment we cast it, but I promise you: you’ll see the ripple from it as the day goes on... that is, if you’re still watching and if you return to the stillness. I promise you: you’ll feel the waves of grace it causes as the Lord’s blessings push upon your life later in the day.
But again, only if you’re in the stillness.
Casting prayers into roaring seas still does make a splash. God does hear every prayer, no matter where we are at or what we are doing. But we don’t always hear or see his response. The stillness is for OUR benefit, friends. It is for OUR sake that He says “be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
If you’re having trouble seeing or hearing him today, maybe the “sea” of your soul is a little too wavy. Maybe life is a little too busy. Be still. ❤️🙏🏻