Stagnant is not my preferred position. Whether I’m in a traffic jam on the freeway or in a long line at the grocery store (and I’ve been in both this week), being stuck stirs up many emotions.

Is there a way out of the delay?  Can I make up the lost time?

As I sat in traffic waiting for the pace to quicken, frustration and anxiety began to surface. What do you feel when the wheels of your progress come to a halt?

Stuck is never a good place to sit, but it is a good place to stand.

Here’s what I mean. In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat felt the pressure of being trapped.  A vast army was coming against him and they were coming in fast.

We can face a vast army too. It may not ride in on horseback, but it can lead to our setback. If left unaddressed, an army of undone tasks, unpaid bills or unmet expectations may make us feel immobilized.

When Jehoshaphat faced the unexpected, he began to seek God. Here’s a part of what his seek sounded like:

“Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” – 2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV

Eyes on You. I desire this spiritual reflex in times of trouble. But sometimes my eyes roam. If they land on what I’m lacking or on what others are doing or saying, I can become stuck.

But stuck is never a good place to stay; however, it is a good place to stand.

Jehoshaphat stood. It is not a coincidence that in Hebrew, his name means Yahweh has judged. Hence, Jehoshaphat’s prayed, “Our God will you not judge them?”

I believe knowing who he was in the Lord, enabled Jehoshaphat to call upon what he knew about the Lord. Do you know your God-given identity?  Does your knowledge of God prompt you to call on Him?  Times of uncertainty are specially designed invitations for us to seek and get to know God.

And like Jehoshaphat, if our eyes are on the Lord, we will see something phenomenal.

“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you.” – 2 Chronicles 20:17a

Jehoshaphat saw his enemies turn on each other and fight to the death. Not one enemy survived. There was so much plunder left behind, it took Jehoshaphat and his men three days to collect it. (vv.24-26)

I’m excited about this victory because it reminds me of the one we have in Christ. When an army of fear, doubt and discouragement comes our way, the enemy of our soul wants us to quit.

But we can quiet these emotions when we remember the power Jesus left for us and in us — because in three days He rose from the dead.

Therefore, stuck is never a good place to quit; it is always a good place to stand.

If I stand on my pride or anything less than God’s will, I begin to sink deeper in defeat. But no matter where we’re stuck in life, faith in Christ’s victory takes us from notion to motion to move forward in His plan.

The deliverance He gives is far more than anything we can imagine. But just knowing we will see it, brings hope for the heart and joy to the soul.

“…stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you.” – 2 Chronicles 20:17