A message for Akron Alliance Fellowship Church, Akron OH, Sunday, February 18, 2024.
For the “Live in Church” audio of this message, select here.
I woke up the other day and realized that last Tuesday was Fat Tuesday. It didn’t occur to me right away even though at work we were being served paczki (pronounced ponch-kee) from my number one bakery, Stan’s in Northfield. They had twenty-one different flavors available, but we had at work an assortment of lemon, chocolate cream, cream cheese, strawberry, apple and chocolate custard. For me, I follow the “one per customer” rule, and I chose apple. It was delicious! Even with all of that, I still didn’t realize that the first day of Lent was the next day. I used to be pretty good with keeping up on dates, but lately not so much.
When you have to write several notes within your electronic calendar to remember things, it essentially means that you’re a lot busier than the average person. Within the schedule that you are trying to maintain, there is another overlay of activity pertaining to the course of human events. Those events often supersede what’s on your calendar. These are your life events. Life events create what I refer to as seasons. In the same way that we experience seasons, a long, cold winter, a brief spring, a short summer and a cooler fall (You notice temperatures a lot more as you get older), you also experience seasons that take precedence and remain at the forefront of your life. Your movement will have a lot to do with the season you are going through personally.
Seasons of life can last for a few weeks or a few years. Maybe even two or three decades. Many of us have had to make decisions that impact the length of your career or where you spend most of your time caring for loved ones. My cousin, Debra, who lived in Seven Hills, was caring for her mother who had Alzheimer’s Disease in her own home. Debra and her husband were both retired, and took turns keeping an eye on her for several years. Debra passed away last fall from lung cancer. We have to take into account that seasons will always have a beginning and an end date—and for many of us, they’re beyond our control.
When a loved one passes on and it involves being, in some degree, a caregiver, it is a time of separation and mourning, and that even applies to nurses who were also involved in the care. The season changes, but the memories remain intact. You begin to see things after the fact that you were moving too quickly to recognize before. That includes being exhausted—both physically and mentally. Often, there is a diminishing level in the quality of life. The sense of loss lingers even beyond the duration of the season.
You never really get over the loss of a loved one. You get through it. But how?
You have to settle back to a place of comfort in your life. It is to go to a quiet place and sit still, both physically and mentally, and recognize the peace of God in your life.
And not only recognize it but embrace it.
We have to remind ourselves to sit still because, like we have trouble with our calendar stuff at times, we don’t do a very good job of sitting still. Even in our daily Bible readings, we have to mentally “sit still” to get the most out of our time. For people with busy schedules, that’s hard to do.
But you need to do it anyway. Sit still before Jesus.
Psalm 46:10 NIV
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
It is His desire to minister to you as you move through life. In the fast moments and in the slower ones. We hear Him more and recognize His caring presence more when we are sitting still before Him.
Our seasons of life need to include Jesus within the experience. He speaks to us as often as we are listening to Him. He encourages us. He prompts us and loves us within our acts of worship and service. He acknowledges and responds to our calls for help. I’ve been saying the words, “Help me, Lord” a lot lately. He knows what I can do and what I can’t do unless He is involved in it.
Psalm 50:15, 54:4 ESV
15 And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
4 Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.
Sit still before Jesus in prayer. It is a great way to share with Him what’s on your heart and mind.
1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
When we are going through difficulty, it can feel as though you are the only one in the world who is going through it. I’m here to tell you that this is a lie from your enemy, Satan. This is where we can hang onto the value of the Holy Spirit’s communication to us as told by Peter:
1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
God reminds us through His Word to turn back to Him when we are not following Him. He reminds us to turn to Him when we are being distracted by the enemy. When we are in trouble or on the verge of committing sin, God is right there to help you resist and turn from it.
Psalm 46:1 NASB
God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
As we sit still before Him, we can rest in His presence. Here’s something to consider: How easy is it for you to rest before Him? If you have trouble slowing down in life, there may be more going on that needs immediate attention. No excuses. You may have to practice your times of rest. Remember, your relationship with the Lord will progress only as you allow the Spirit to speak to you, sanctify you, and experience His peace.
Colossians 3:15 NIV
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Psalm 119:18 NIV
Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.
The indwelling Spirit is essential in your efforts to sit still in Jesus.
John 16:13-15 NIV
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
I’m just going to say this to be mildly annoying but speaking truth to those who are in perpetual motion and failing to spend valuable time with God. Our culture often rewards people who are busy as it is seen as a badge of honor and a way of boosting self-esteem and self-worth, but the habit of keeping a chronically busy schedule has a negative effect on one’s physical and emotional wellness. It also impacts your ability to maintain healthy relationships with anyone, let alone Jesus.1
Don’t be the one where God has to knock you off your feet and flat on your back to get your attention.
Sitting still is not a recommendation. It is a necessity in developing a healthy relationship with Jesus. He wants you to sit still and rest in His presence. It is how He reveals Himself to you and makes you sensitive to who He is.
God uses the time we spend in Him to communicate with us, and to reassurance us of His presence. He gives us what we need, and when we need it most.
Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.
Psalm 119:102-105 NIV
102 I have not departed from your laws,
for you yourself have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.
105 Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.
What are the benefits of being still before Jesus?
- He is our help with encouragement
We need God’s promises to bolster us and gives us encouragement through these moments, and even through those times when things are not going very well. If we are being oppressed, falsely accused, or even persecuted, we are not going through those experiences alone. God is aware of everything that we go through, sees it all, and provides encouragement that helps us to endure it.
Psalm 55:22 NIV
Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous be shaken.
Psalm 27:14 NIV
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
2. He is our help with healing and recovery.
Matthew 11:28-30 ESV
28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Jesus Christ encourages our stillness because, in His wisdom, He is the true source of our rest. We need rest from our hectic life, our troubles, and our difficulties, and He encourages us to seek Him for that rest. One area of that rest in Christ is communication with Him through prayer:
Philippians 4:6-7 CSB
6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 107:28-30 NIV
28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
29 He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
3. He is our help when we hear from Him.
Sometimes, we need to get before Him while on our knees. Remember, He already knows where your heart is.
1 John 1:9 ESV
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
There should be a sense of quietness as you sit still before Jesus. Use that time while you are waiting for Jesus to speak to you to express to Him how much you appreciate Him. He is certainly worthy of your praise. Your quiet time with Jesus should not be all about what He has to say to you.
Psalm 150:1-2 ESV
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!
1 Corinthians 14:15 ESV
What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.
He wants to hear from you with a spirit of humility in prayer and in your petitions. Sit still before Jesus with the expectation that you are receiving His peace that goes well beyond any human reasoning or understanding.
He also wants you to pray with expectation as you remain focused on His will for your life.
John 14:13-14 NIV
13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
4. He is our strength.
In our weakness, He is strong. Jesus gives us the strength to carry on.
Philippians 4:13 ESV
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Isaiah 41:10 NIV
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Sit still and experience the love of Jesus Christ.
He is your Encourager.
He is your Healer.
He is your Helper in the power of the Holy Spirit.
He is your strength.
Your stillness will provide rest for your soul as you navigate your seasons in life. Psalm 23 epitomizes our message for today:
Psalm 23:1-6 NLT
1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
Take the time to sit still and rest in Jesus.
Copyright © 2024 Melvin Gaines
1 Clarke, J. (2023, November 21). If we’re always busy, here’s why we need to slow down. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/how-the-glorification-of-busyness-impacts-our-well-being-4175360
Melvin Gaines 