Friend to Friend
As I recovered from surgery, I was ordered to be still. That meant sitting in a recliner for a month. No heavy lifting. No driving. Though I have a “Mary” heart, I evidently possess a “Martha” brain. I struggled with this. I wanted to fill that time with something productive. 

Maybe I needed to seek God in my down time and have a spiritual epiphany.

Maybe I should read deep and profound books, so I could grow and learn. 

Maybe I could fold laundry, if nothing else.

In my struggle, I discounted an important truth: Healing is hard work.

I wasn’t idle. Not at all. My body was recovering from major surgery. My bones and sinew needed stillness to reconnect, restore, and thrive. My heart and spirit needed rest due to unexpected surgeries and all that came with the unwanted diagnosis.

If I tried to rush the timing, I might get a few things done but I’d also push back the healing process weeks or even more.

Maybe you are like me. It’s a challenge to let the healing process unfold, whether recovering from a relationship gone bad, a spiritual bruising, an emotional wound, or a season of physical struggle.

In Exodus 14, Moses is speaking to a nation of people who are afraid. Their enemy is behind them and quickly gaining ground. The unknown is ahead of them, and that is just as unsettling. They want to do something. Anything. They clamor and challenge Moses, who gives them an unexpected answer.

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14 NIV).

One version of this verse says, “Do nothing. Just rest.”

As the people listened to Moses, they stilled. As a result, they saw God in the wind, the sea, and the howl of unsettling events. If they had resisted, they may have got some things accomplished but missed the miracle God was trying to give them.

When we take time to heal, it’s a strong move.

We don’t have to fill the healing season with good intentions and others’ ideas of what we should be doing. We don’t have to feel guilty because we aren’t juggling and spinning and producing. Our recovery, whether physical, spiritual, or emotional, matters to God for healing is hard work all on its own.

Be still, sweet friend.

God is your Healer. He’s your Surgeon. Whether healing is needed inside or out, don’t compare your healing process to others. It’s okay if someone else requires less time. They aren’t you. God knows what you need. Talk to God when you feel that pressure to rush ahead. Give your recovery the weight and time it requires.

Be still.

You are brave as you slow down to allow God to show you what you need. To work in those areas that need His touch. You are brave as you rest, even as you feel pressure to rush ahead.

Be still.

Healing is hard work, and you are worth it.

 

Let’s Pray

God, being still is not my go-to. In fact, I feel guilty when I rest to open my heart, body, or soul to Your healing touch. I think I should be doing something, anything. So today I will rest in You. I will take the temptation to rush Your process and exchange it for the trust to rest in Your power.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

Now It’s Your Turn

In what ways might you exchange a rush to heal for rest?  Make a plan. Write it down. Honor it. Ask God to meet you in it.

 

More from the Girlfriends

One of the greatest joy stealers is thinking that it’s our job to fix everything, including ourselves. There’s joy in finding rest. There’s joy in letting go of what is not our assignment to find what is. There’s joy in making room for how we feel, for they become indicators of where God can do his greatest work.

Suzie shows you how to find rest in her book, JoyKeeper: 6 Truths that Change Everything You Thought You Knew About Joy.

(As an Amazon Associate, Girlfriends in God earns A SMALL COMMISSION from qualifying purchases using this paid link.)

 

 

© 2023 by Suzanne Eller. All rights reserved.

Did you know that Girlfriends in God relies solely on the ongoing generosity of friends like you? As a global nonprofit ministry, financial support from sisters all over the world fuels our efforts to produce biblical devotions with the goal of equipping women to apply the gospel to all of life. Would you consider making a small gift, or becoming a monthly partner, to help sustain the GiG’s ministry? To make a donation please go to https://girlfriendsingod.com/donate/

Did someone forward this devotional to you? Click here  to receive Girlfriends in God weekday devotions delivered directly to your inbox!