Sometimes Prayer is Just Standing
. . . and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore . . . praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit . . . (Ephesians 6:13-18).
. . . Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. . . (Exodus 14:13)
You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD . . . (II Chronicles 20:17)
And the list of scriptures goes on and on – scriptures that tell us that sometimes prayer is simply to stand. There are those times when having the right words to say isn’t what we need. That’s when the power of His Word alive in us becomes our greatest prayer. That’s when having our identity secure in Christ brings an undeniable shift in the atmosphere around us.
May I tell you a rather unspiritual little story that illustrates this? My husband was a high school football coach for many years. I enjoyed going to the games to cheer his team to victory and console the losses. I was in the stadium cheering for his team one night. A very loud and rude man was stationed about 15 rows above me. From the beginning of the game, he yelled offensively using very foul language – all criticisms aimed at my husband’s coaching. I listened to this through the first quarter, the second quarter and the third quarter. Each quarter, he grew louder and more vulgar until by the beginning of the fourth quarter, I had had enough! I stood up. I turned around. And I looked at the man. Then, I thought, “Nancy, what are you doing?! He’s so out of control that he might come down here and punch you in the nose!” I had no words to say to that man. All I could do was stand and look at him. As I stood and watched him, he became so angry and then confused that he nearly imploded. He finally gave up, folded his arms, closed his mouth and never made another sound the remainder of the game.
What happened that night? That man was out of order and out of control. His behavior was clearly wrong and a violation to all of us around him. I stood in the power of what was right. I certainly didn’t stand in my own power – I was scared! And I stood secure in my identity – I was the coach’s wife! I never said a word; I just stood there. What was the result? There was an undeniable shift in the atmosphere in that stadium.
So, words can be good in prayer. But sometimes prayer is just standing.