Flexing Faith Muscles 操练信心
Dexu Xia
Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10
He seemed content being completely still. I sighed. Because of my health issues, I struggled with stillness and desperately wanted to move forward, to do something—anything. Resenting my limitations, I longed to stop feeling so weak. But while staring at the sloth, I observed how he stretched one arm, gripped a nearby branch, and stopped again. Being still required strength. If I wanted to be content with moving slowly or being as still as the sloth, I needed more than incredible muscle power. To trust God with every dragging moment of my life, I needed supernatural power.
In Psalm 46, the writer proclaims that God doesn’t just give us strength, He is our strength (v. 1). No matter what’s going on around us, the “Lord Almighty is with us” (v. 7). The psalmist repeats this truth with conviction (v. 11).
Like the sloth, our day-to-day adventures often require slow steps and extended periods of seemingly impossible stillness. When we rely on God’s unchanging character, we can depend on His strength no matter what plan and pace He determines is right for us.
Though we may continue to battle afflictions or struggle with waiting, God remains faithfully present. Even when we don’t feel strong, He’ll help us flex our faith muscles.
How have you experienced God’s strength empowering you through a season of stillness? How can reflecting on His unchanging character help you persevere?
God Almighty, thank You for giving me opportunities to flex my faith muscles by trusting You to be my strength.
你们要休息，要知道我是上帝！—诗篇46篇10节
有一次去动物园时，我在树獭展厅前停下来稍作休息，看到一只树獭头下脚上地倒挂着，似乎很满足于这种全然静止的状态。我叹了口气。因我健康状况不佳，常被迫要静止不动，但我多么想要动一动，只希望能做点事，什么事都好。我受够自己身体的限制，渴望能停止这种无力感。但就在我盯着树獭时，我看到它伸长一只臂膀，抓住旁边的树枝后，就再次不动了。实际上，保持静止不动是要花力气的。我若想要像树獭一样，满足于缓慢移动或静止不动，就不只是需要惊人的肌力。要将我生活中每个缓慢的步伐都交托给上帝，我需要的是超自然的能力。
在诗篇46篇，诗人宣称上帝不只赐给我们力量，祂就是我们的力量（1节）。不论我们遇到什么景况，“万军之耶和华与我们同在”（7节），诗人因信而重述这个真理（11节）。
像树獭一样，我们的日常经历也往往需要步伐缓慢，看似长时间地静止不动。当我们信靠永不改变的上帝时，便能倚赖祂的力量，顺从祂为我们制定的任何计划与步调。虽然，我们可能还得继续在等待中面对苦难或受煎熬，但上帝会一直信实地与我们同在。在我们觉得自己软弱无力的时候，上帝会赐给我们力量，帮助我们操练信心。
你曾如何靠上帝所赐的力量，度过“静止不动”的时期？
思想上帝永不改变的特质，如何帮助你忍耐？
全能的上帝，感谢祢赐我机会操练信心，求祢让我倚靠祢的力量，耐心等候。