Exodus 14:13

The Israelites could smell the dust and feel the ground shudder as the chariots approached. They were no match for this army and they knew it. With the sea on one side and a vengeful army on the other, they were trapped.

Wasn't God a better military strategist than this? Surely He didn't deliver His chosen people only to destroy them days later?

Ever been trapped? Ever felt confused, terrified and forsaken? I have. And so has every other believer who has faced adversity. We're no different than the Israelites. We get confused when circumstances don't pan out the way we "think they should." We feel terror when our comfort zone is obliterated. And we feel forsaken when God doesn't act the way we think He ought to.

What is God's response to the Israelites predicament? He tells them to "be still." Now every instinct in me would tell me to run, plan a counter attack, head up the coastline or prepare for a long swim. But I've learned, just like the Israelites, that deliverance comes when we wait, when we step out of the way and let God be God. He wants to be our Lord, our Shepherd, and our Deliverer.

When we find ourselves between a rock and a hard place, God's instructions are still the same. "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). He may not part the sea of your adversity, but He will comfort, instruct and prepare you for whatever lies ahead.