Before the Sea Parts: Learning to Stay Still in the middle of Opposition

Last week during my discussion with my life group, the topic of being still came up and we started talking about how hard it is to be still and trust that God is moving when everything around you looks like it’s falling apart. 

It made me think of Exodus 14:14 which is a verse that brings me reassurance in the midst of trials and emphasizes this idea of being still and letting God fight for you: 

“The Lord Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” ~ Exodus 14:14 NLT

For context, this verse was spoken by Moses at a pivotal moment in the Israelites’ journey. They were in what felt like a dead end, in front of the Red Sea, stuck between the sea and the Egyptian army charging at them. And yet in that moment of uncertainty, fear, and hopelessness, Moses tells them not to be afraid, to stand still, and watch God move on their behalf. 

“Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” ~Exodus 14:13- 14 NLT

And that’s exactly what happens. They sit back while God parts the Red Sea for them, and they are able to walk through and get to safety on the other side.

While reading this verse and this story in general can be encouraging, it can also be hard to figure out what being still and calm looks like in practice when you’re like the Israelites, in a predicament that requires immediate action. 

What does “just stay calm” look like when you’re waiting on medical results and your mind keeps imagining worst-case scenarios?

What does it look like when the bills are piling up and you’re not sure how everything is going to get paid?

What does it look like when you feel stuck, like the Israelites did, with a Red Sea in front of you and something threatening behind you?

Let’s unpack that through some practical things I've been learning about stillness that have helped me walk out "just staying calm" in the face of opposition.

1. Being still starts with being honest about what you’re feeling.

The Israelites were not ones to be shy about their feelings. When they realized the situation they were in, their first instinct was to cry out to the Lord (Exodus 14:10). This lets us know that in moments when we are afraid and panicked about what’s going on around us, it’s ok to acknowledge our fear and take it to the Lord. We do not have to pretend we’re not scared to prove that we have faith. We can be honest with God about our fears and allow Him to bring the peace and reassurance we need. 

If you’re waiting on medical results for example, being still might look like telling God exactly what scares you instead of quietly rehearsing worst-case scenarios in your mind. It might look like saying, “Lord, I don’t know what this outcome will be, but I trust that You will be with me in it.” There’s something powerful about naming the fear out loud and placing it in His hands instead of letting your thoughts run rampant which only allows fear and anxiety about your situation to grow.

2. Being still means knowing what is your responsibility and what is God’s.

The Israelites could not part the Red sea or defeat the Egyptian army. There were limits to what they could do, and they knew that. Sometimes our anxiety grows in the midst of opposition because we’re trying to carry responsibilities that were never meant to be ours. 

When money feels tight for example, you can steward what you have wisely, make a plan, and take practical steps forward, but you cannot force provision. When you’re navigating a strained relationship, you can communicate with honesty and kindness, but you cannot change someone’s heart.

Being still, in those moments, looks like doing what you can with integrity and then consciously releasing the outcome to God, even if you have to release it more than once a day.

3. Being still often looks like pausing before reacting.

When everything feels urgent, our emotions want immediate action. We want to send the text, make the decision, fix the problem, or at least feel like we’re moving. But Moses told the Israelites to stand still before they ever saw the waters move.

Sometimes being still is as practical as taking a breath before responding. It might mean praying before replying to a message that upset you. It might mean giving yourself a night to sleep on a decision instead of acting in the heat of anxiety. It might mean asking yourself, “Am I making this choice from faith, or from fear?” and allowing that pause to create space for wisdom.

4. Being still requires trusting God in the waiting, not just after the breakthrough.

We often focus on the part where the sea split and the Israelites walked across on dry ground. But there was a moment before that, where nothing had changed yet, and they still had to trust. That in-between space is usually where we live.

If you feel like you’re in that space right now, being still might look like continuing to pray even when you don’t see movement. It might look like choosing gratitude for what is steady in your life instead of obsessing over what feels uncertain. It might look like worshipping before you have answers.

Trust in the waiting builds a kind of faith that outcomes alone never could.

When I read Exodus 14:14, I’m reminded that the command to stay calm is tied to a promise. “The Lord Himself will fight for you.” We’re not being asked to be still and watch things around us fall apart without hope. We are being asked to still because the Lord Himself will fight for us. 

Being still is not irresponsible; it is an act of faith. Faith in the God who is always faithful to us, who always comes through, and who always looks out for us no matter what.