Recovering Quietness and Trust
“For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,
“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”
But you were unwilling” (Isaiah 30:15)
Walking along the shore of the lake, the colors of the trees faded beautifully into the water. The serenity of the landscape captivated my attention, creating a sense of peace.
If only the soul could be as still as the waters. Or perhaps it can be?
What if this isn’t an unrealistic dream but something we can actually experience? In fact, God promised that this is a reality that can be obtained, despite the circumstances surrounding us.
Scripture reads:
“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength…”(Isaiah 30:15).
This passage was addressed to the people of Israel, who would defy God despite the assurance of His mighty hand. The prophet Isaiah spoke about the rebellious nature of the Israelites after warning them against forming an alliance with Egypt (Isaiah 30). In prophecy, he was communicating the consequences of their rebellion from the One who had carried them.
Although this was addressed to a group of people within a specific period, several truths within the text are truly timeless.
“In returning and rest, you will be saved.”
Turning back to God is crucial for receiving salvation. If we have wandered from God, we can only be saved by returning to Him. Whether that means accepting Jesus as the Lord of our life for the first time or as a believer who has wandered, we are returning to God in full surrender; we are going back to our First Love (as referenced to the church in Ephesus in Revelations chapter 2).
Author, C.S. Lewis, wrote in his well-known book titled Mere Christianity:
“We all want progress. But progress means getting nearer to the place where you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about turn and walking back to the right road, and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man.”[1]
If we have wandered, then our souls will be unable to truly find rest. We may try to numb it, or we may even experience happiness at times, but they will not feel true peace until they turn around and come back home. This could look different for every person, depending on what path they find themselves in.
Nevertheless, returning and rest go hand in hand, and they lead to the path of salvation.
We were created to depend on God. Not to try and meet every need on our own strength. Not to be the supreme authority in our own life. But we were crafted for a purpose, which was put into place before the foundations of the earth were laid (Ephesians 2:10).
“In quietness and in trust shall be your strength”
In the quietness, we will find refreshment. Taking time to still our hearts and minds will allow us to hear the voice of God. If we want to hear from the Lord, we must be willing to listen to His voice. This requires discipline, patience, and time.
Within the action of trusting, the Lord promises that we will find strength.
First, it redirects how we use our resources. So often, many of us use our energy to worry about things we do not have control over. We are trying to play God in our own lives, and surely this depletes our strength.
Of course, there is merit to recognizing personal responsibility, which includes problem-solving and organizing our lives. However, when it extends into the parts of our life that were never meant for us to worry about, it becomes unhealthy.
The truth is, we can leave things at the feet of the Father and find rest for our souls. And in this type of trust, in which our energies are not being spent on things that are outside our control, we find our strength renewed.
Second, God, Himself promises to provide us with the strength we need. The Bible says that we will be renewed and “will soar on wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31). Often, God allows us to walk through circumstances where we need His mighty hand to sustain us. This is done in love, as it reveals our need for Him. We were never made to walk in our own power.
I thank God for the moments which brought me to my knees in prayer. They were extremely difficult, but it was in those times He revealed Himself that I encountered a love that stilled the rushing waters of my soul.
The truth is, when we rely on Him for strength, He graciously gives it to us.
Stillness and trust are not based on our feelings. Instead, they are a discipline, a set of daily decisions despite what emotions we may be carrying.
It takes time to trust God. You may even have to remind yourself daily to give that one thing over to God and seek Him for strength.
The beauty is that God is gracious and patient with us. As a toddler learning how to walk, He is gracious with us as a loving Father. As we continue on the journey of our faith, we are not expected to be perfect.
So keep going. Quiet your soul and mind before your Maker. For in stillness and trust, you will find rest in the arms of the Father.
Find beauty hidden within the act of wholehearted surrender.
Blessings,
[1] Clive Stapleton Lewis, et al. The C.S. Lewis Signature Classics. HarperOne, 2017.71.