by David Scott Robertson
How often has the title of this thought been the cry of the world in your ears?
Is all inactivity bad? Is it a sign of weakness, laziness, or passivity? Can doing nothing actually accomplish something?
I suppose that "doing nothing" can be unproductive but I propose that "doing nothing with purpose" can be extremely productive.
There are times, more often than you might think, when the appropriate action might be: "Don't just do something, stand there!"
Haven't you noticed in the history of the world and in the history of your life that just "doing something" was very often the catalyst to your downfall? If your experience is anything like mine then you've discovered that very often taking matters into your own hands has gotten you into massive amounts of trouble. Or saying something stupid instead of holding your tongue has gotten you into incredibly complex situations. Later, in remorse, I have made statements like: "I wish I hadn't every said/done that!" In so doing, you and I have joined an elite club of wrongdoers - the human race! This is evident for the Bible declares:
"…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…" (Romans 3:23).
Wouldn't it have been better if Adam had paused before eating the forbidden fruit after Eve offered it to him and instead consulted with God later in the cool of the day?
Wouldn't it have been better if Abraham had paused to inquire of the Lord before sleeping with Hagar, the Egyptian slave, which resulted in the birth of "an Ishmael?"
The list of "what ifs?" is endless…
Science tells us that "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." Can this similarly apply to our personal lives as well?
Could it be just as true that:
- For every impulsively bad decision there is an equal and opposite well thought out good decision?
- For every negative word curse there is an equal and opposite positive word blessing?
- For every idle moment accelerating into fruitless activity there is an equal and opposite active moment decelerating into fruitful inactivity?
What if we were to take it on faith that our plan of action should be to stand still until we first find out what God's plan of action is for the situation? After all, isn't God the One that recommended that we…
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth" (Psalm 46:10).
Isn't God the One who instructed Moses to tell the children of Israel trapped in between the Red Sea and the murderous Egyptian army to:
"Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace" (Exodus 14:13-14 KJV).
Isn't God the One who instructed Samuel to tell a stubborn Israeli nation caught in the web of yet another self-inflicted dilemma when foolishly demanding a king:
"Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes!" (1 Sam 12:16)
Isn't God the One that inspired Joshua to command that the sun to stand still so that a great victory could be won?
"On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel: "O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon."
So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a man. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!" (Joshua 10:12-14).
Perhaps in your own life there can dawn a day that has never been like it before when the Lord can intervene with miracles and signs and wonders but all He is waiting for is for you to quit striving, cease from your labors, enter His rest, and stand still and see the salvation of the Lord!
DSR
3/29/04