For this week’s Worship Wednesday post, Hillary shares a powerful lesson God taught her about the importance of being still and knowing to Whom to look during deployment.
Be Still and Know During Deployment
by Hillary Baggett
I remember the first deployment as a young Marine wife. We had been married only 28 days. Twenty-three years later and I can still vividly recall the tears that flowed that day. I thought to myself, “Aren’t we supposed to be together to celebrate this day?” I dropped him off at the hangar and drove three hours alone to my graduation. My new last name was on the diploma. It seemed surreal to have had my maiden name for 25 years, but his last name got the prominent place in the middle of my diploma after only 28 days. And he wasn’t even there to celebrate with me.
Two weeks into this 6-month deployment, a hurricane condemned the apartment building we were living in and my grandmother passed away. I wondered, “Is this what life in the military will be like?” The answer was, of course, “yes!” But that was before I truly KNEW who to turn to in times of stress.
Who Do You Turn To During Deployment?
As soon as I could find a job, we would be dual income, no kids, (called DINKS back in the day). I would pay off my school debt, learn how to pay bills, and start going to church regularly. Finances would be easy, right? At least until he came home and we had to actually talk about it.
Trusting God with it all–deployments, health, marriage, kids, and finances…
Recently, I was reading 2 Chairs by Bob Beaudine. He encourages us to sit down, be still, and invite the Lord into the other chair across from us. This intentional act of stillness is so that we can surrender our problems, our worries, our marriage, our finances, and anything else to Him.
Know to whom we are praying. Know that he can do all he says he can do. He just asks us to come to him, be still, and surrender our plans and ideas to Him.
Stillness does not come naturally to me. Sitting for 5 minutes is a LONG time unless I am sick and laid out on the couch or asleep in bed. But, as with most things, with practice and perseverance, we grow, we change, and we learn.
Be Still
My mind races through the list of the day, the chores to do, the organizing, errands, the dog, the kids, the bills, how will I get this all done?
The answer is not a secret, but to take that quiet moment to be truly still, and trust in the Lord. Lay my list before the Lord, ask him what his priorities are for each of us and surrender every item on that list to him. God is teaching me that surrendering my life to him the stillness of our time together is an act of worship.
There are many songs about stillness and trusting God out there. This one touched my heart and was also referenced in 2 Chairs. When God gives us the same Bible reference, theme, or Word, it is time to pay attention. Ok, Lord, I am listening and I am still!
I hope you’ll be inspired by this song, too:
Be Still and Know by Steven Curtis Chapman
Prayer
Lord, I lift up every person reading this message today. Lay your hands upon their hearts, their minds, and their schedules. If they are experiencing their 1st or 10th deployment, make your presence known to them. May stillness and surrender be on the top of their to-do list. Send them friends and neighbors who understand, who comfort, who encourage them in their faith. Bless their finances, bless their marriages, bless their communication, bless their homes. You are the God of transformation, of restoration, and the God of HOPE. You, Lord, keep your promises and covenants.
Help us all to be strong in you, humble as we walk in faith, faithful stewards of money, of time, and with our talents. Most of all, keep pointing us back to you, the Sovereign Lord, Creator of the Universe. Help us to be still in your presence. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.