Cindy Powell

“There is a time to be quiet, and a time to speak.” –Ecc 3: 7

There is a time to speak out.

There is a time to share and to declare. There is a time to process and to profess — a time to explain and to express –a time to understand and to be understood.

There is even a time to shout from the rooftops.

But there is also a time to be quiet.

There are times you need to let go of all human effort to “figure it out” and let God be God — times you need to let Him do what only He can do — times you need to put your full weight on His understanding because any further attempt at explaining or “processing” is of no help whatsoever.

There are times when words become a barrier. Times when they become an almost irresistible temptation leading to a place of unbelief — or to a place of ingratitude — or to place of confusion and complaining. Really, sometimes, they just lure us to sin.

This is the place I find myself right now.

It’s a place where I need to stop talking for a moment and be still. It’s a place of quiet — a place of listening. It’s a very vulnerable, yet a very hopeful place. I sense it is also a  very important place. It’s a place where I don’t need to hear my own words anymore–and no one else needs to hear them either.

And, honestly, I really don’t need to hear anyone else’s words right now.

I just need to hear His.

So I’m letting go of my desire to be understood. I’m laying down any temptation I may have to explain or defend myself. I’m sacrificing my far-too-frequent habit of verbal “processing” and I’m rejecting any tiny remnant of the idea that I need to prove anything to anyone.

Instead I’m going to prove Him.

Because, ultimately, I don’t need anyone else’s understanding. I need His. I need Him. I need to listen to Him. I need to lean into Him. I need to trust Him.

I need to believe Him.

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him” (Ps 62:5 NLT).

My hope is in Him. It’s not in finding understanding. It’s not in finding agreement. It’s not even in finding empathy or encouragement.

My hope  … my expectation  … my  trust …

Is in Him.

“He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone” (Ps.62: 6-7).

This week as I reflect again on the beauty of the cross–on the work that only He could do–I resolve to focus on the  victory He won without the tiniest bit of help from me.

If He defeated death, is anything I’m facing too hard for Him?

Of course not. So instead of wasting another breath trying to sort it all out …

With all that I am, I will wait quietly before Him.