Isaiah 40:31
“…those who wait for the Lord
will gain new strength;
they will mount up with wings like eagles,
they will run and not get tired,
they will walk and not become weary.”
All too soon, January’s annual visit is coming to an end, leaving behind its wintry remnants: piles of snow, a higher electric bill, a few added pounds, and, perhaps, assorted aches and pains. In my own life, I am finding similar, recurring patterns at the start of a new year, especially regarding health issues. I’ve written about the winter flu that gripped me one particular January. The start of another new year found me overcoming a knee problem; another year, it was a hip issue, followed by a double whammy in January when I was afflicted with shoulder pain coupled with temporary hearing loss in one ear from an infection. Last year’s arrival introduced something new, a pain in my neck and, sadly, the start of this new year finds me still dealing with it.
As a task-oriented individual driven to complete as much as possible in a day, I am not one to take what some would call well-deserved “me” time. Indulging in downtime is often considered a waste of time in my world. January is different. It’s a period of time set aside to focus less on doing and more on being. Entering the first month of this new year, I once again resolved to get more rest and refreshment after the flurry of holiday activity and to commit to spending more devoted time with God. To be honest, throwing pain into the mix has never been part of my vision for a refreshing start, but here I am again.
With every painful January, my heart’s response has been key. Would I respond by allowing the evil one to create anxiety and misery? Accepting his offer to throw me a pity party? Or his attempt to convince me to seek unhealthy ways to mask the pain? Or would I respond by trusting the Lord through the healing process? The lessons learned from those past Januarys are ingrained in me now; I respond by choosing the latter option—to trust God. Part of that trust is to acknowledge that God always has a plan and is always in control, even in our pain, and this year will be no different. Perhaps He uses pain or infirmity to cause us to slow down even more, to embrace true rest, and dwell in the spirit of stillness. Praise God, each of my afflictions has been healed through prayer and treatment and, even though this affliction is a pesky “hanger on,” I trust that in time the healing will come.
Whatever avenue the Lord chooses to get our attention is an invitation to enter through His open door, to dwell in stillness with Him. Our part is to step through it and allow Him to envelope us with His presence. Dwelling in the spirit of stillness is God’s gift to us.
Are you willing to take that step?
Dear Sovereign God, we praise You for Your care and concern for us, and for the times You sometimes force us to slow down when our tendency is to press on, even with pain or infirmity. Help us to recognize the evil one’s attempts to tear us down and discourage us. Please remind us to keep our eyes on You, to trust You in the midst of those challenges, and to take those opportunities to dwell in the spirit of stillness. Whenever we set aside time to dwell in stillness, we thank You for Your abiding presence in our lives. Speak to us, teach us, refresh us, O God. It is for Your sake we pray. Amen.
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