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If you’re like me, you sometimes have trouble knowing whether God wants you to stand still and pray about some situation, or should you do something. Hopefully I can spread some light on this topic, as we look into God’s word to find out when to stop, when to pray, and when to move!
You are no doubt familiar with how the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, as they were being chased by Pharaoh. You’ll find the story in Exodus 13 and 14. As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They dumped on Moses, asking him why he had brought them out into the desert to die. After all, they could have died much more comfortably in Egypt! They complained to Moses that they would rather have been slaves in Egypt than to be killed in the desert by Pharaoh’s army.
Keep in mind, they had just witnessed miracle after miracle, as God brought them out of the land of bondage, but somehow, when fear overtook them, they fell right back into their old patterns of griping and complaining. They had one giant pity party!
Here is Moses’ answer to their complaint, from Exodus 14:
Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:13-14).
But notice what God next says to Moses:
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground” (Exodus 14:15-16).
God tells the people, through Moses, to stop—stand firm—and let the Lord fight for them. They should simply be still. And then God says to Moses to stop praying and crying out and asking questions. He’s given him his marching orders and it’s time to move. There’s a time to stand still and pray, and there’s a time to stop praying and move!