The Beauty of Being Still

"And Elisha prayed, 'O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.' Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."
2 Kings 6:17

This world has conditioned mankind to believe that there are only two suitable choices available when we are engulfed in a state of conflict. We can either confront head-on the person, or persons, assailing us. Or we can defer the hardship by retreating from it. This is popularly referred to as "fight or flight". And while these are understandable generalities to apply in such matters, God's Word affirms that there is another option entirely, and that is to wait on the Lord and let Him settle the issue. Even though it runs contrary to our human instinct God asks that we entrust conflict-laden burdens to Him and find spiritual tranquility. In other words, our actions need not always revert to war or withdrawing for sometimes the Lord desires that we be resilient and infused with a faith that stand strong, and a faith that is able to be still even in the midst of chaos and calamity.

2 Kings 6:8-23 underscores the beauty of being still and waiting on God’s light to shine through the darkness. In this account we read that Elisha, the prophet of God, had been advising Ahab, king of Israel, about the movement of one of Israel’s enemies: the Arameans. The king of Aram became so frustrated by his army’s inability to launch an assault against Israel that he assumed someone in his counsel was secretly revealing his battle plans to King Ahab. But it was determined that Elisha was receiving insight from the Lord and relaying it to the king of Israel. When the king of Aram discovered this he immediately set out to capture, and potentially kill, Elisha. To this end, the king of Aram sent a detachment of soldiers to Dothan when he found out the prophet was staying there.   

The Arameans devised a crafty plan by drawing close to Dothan and surrounding it at nighttime, thus avoiding any attention or suspicion. When the sun arose the next day Elisha’s assistant stepped outside and beheld the Aramean militia positioned all around Dothan, confirming there was no safe, suitable exit. Elisha and the people of Dothan were trapped. Elisha’s assistant, in a state of alarm, rushed to tell Elisha what was happening. And what was Elisha’s immediate response to his servant? The prophet said, “Don’t be afraid” (2 Kings 6:16a). Notice that the voluntary reaction of Elisha's assistant was to panic whereas Elisha's initial reaction was to pray. According to 2 Kings 6:17 Elisha beseeched God to open the eyes of his servant so that his servant could supernaturally see that the angelic army of God was near and greater than the Aramean force.

When the Aramean army descended toward Eisha again he called out to the Lord. This time Elisha asked the Lord to strike the Aramean soldiers with temporary blindness, which God did. Elisha then proceeded to lead the Arameans to Samaria, the heart of Israel's kingdom. When given the opportunity to slaughter the Aramean miltary contingent Elisha chose to have a meal prepared for the enemy warriors, reminiscent of the sentiment expressed in Psalm 23:5. And so not one soul was killed in this particular event because Elisha was fiercely trustful of God.

The character and spiritual fortitude of Elisha were something to behold. Pursued by enemies he didn't run. Exposed to severe famine he didn't surrender to fear. Given death threats he didn't display any sense of dread. Elisha's spirit was so at peace with God's governance that every matter, especially a contentious one such as this, was evaluated through the knowledge that nothing can escape God's watch or will. Therefore, why fret because the Creator of the universe was and will always mightily reign? The point being, Elisha knew God was, and is, the eternal King. And he knew that the Lord is the earth's true Ruler. Because this type of perspective was always at the forefront of his mind it allowed him to enjoy a spiritual posture that was reposed and at rest, despite the numerous hardships he faced. All this to say, the prophet of God had a rock-solid faith that carried him through many trials. 

One of the great tests of humanity is waiting. It requires tremendous dedication, trust, patience, and commitment to wait in difficult ordeals. Too often we fall short of yielding faith to God in such matters. Instead, we try to find a manner of resolution (fight or flight) on our own. But we were never intended to handle this life on our own. God intended for us to find the courage to seek Him, and intended for us to exhibit the courage to wholeheartedly believe in Him. Elisha was surrounded by a powerful Aramean army but he did not focus on the soldiers commissioned to capturing him. No, Elisha focused on the Almighty God Who captivated him. And that subtle, yet significant, difference powerfully affected Elisha's state of mind. So the question for modern-day believers is will we choose to exercise faith in God and be still, or will we exercise doubt and succumb to the worry that accompanies despair and carnal fear? I hope that God's followers will continue to turn to the Lord in all endeavors and discover the beauty of being still in God.