Oceans in the Desert

By Kathi Pelton

Each day the Lord has been encouraging me to take up a weapon that we do not often speak of when we are discussing warfare; it is rest and stillness.

Isaiah 30:15 says,

“…You will be delivered by returning and resting; your strength will lie in quiet confidence.”

As humans, we are quick to engage in a battle that appears before us or to raise our voices to declare what we believe to be truth and righteousness. This is not a bad thing when it is the Lord’s instructions but the past few months the Lord has “quieted my soul” and drawn me into a place of trust and confidence that often needs no words.

“O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.” Psalm‬ ‭131:1‬ ‭

This world has continuous matters that are often “too lofty” for me. Does that mean that I ignore them or pretend that they do not exist? May it never be said that I ignored suffering or injustice. And yet, often when I go before the Lord with these “great matters” I hear him asking me to come and lay them at his feet, along with all of my concerns and anxieties about them. Then he whispers that it will be okay and that “he knows.”

He then takes me to a place of sovereign peace and active, quiet confidence. It’s not a passive quietness but one that declares, “You are God.”

For me, stillness is often an act of greater discipline than declaring loudly his Word or praying in the Spirit while pacing and engaging my body, soul and spirit. Yet, I am finding that there is great authority and alignment in this posture of peace and stillness that partners with the awareness that he is the mighty Lion of Judah. It is like the lamb lying down with the Lion— knowing that in rest my deliverance will come and in quiet confidence I will be strengthened— no longer to be worn out by the battle.

Again— this is not to suggest that there are not times to engage in a form of warfare that swings a sword and charges the enemy, but there is great victory in rest and quite confidence. There is deliverance in the place of surrendering your “actions” in order to trust in his power and might. I have found deep intimacy in this place of knowing him to the point of awe, wonder and stillness.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

Christ lives in me, therefore, I can yield to his life and power within me— even in my stillness. I have found great power in corporate praise and declarations but equally as great of power in my private posture of intentional rest and quietness as I put my full confidence in him.

He longs to restore you, strengthen you and deliver you from all that has wearied your soul.

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