QUIETING & WEANING THE SOUL

“Surely I have composed and quieted
my soul; Like a weaned child rests
against his mother, My soul is like a
weaned child within me.”
Psalm 131:2
(The NAS Strong's Version)

The word wean means to ‘to detach from a source of dependence’ or ‘to deal with fully.’ A child being weaned has reached a stage in development where a transition is made from milk to solid foods or away from a pacifier. The weaning process can be very difficult because an emotional attachment and sense of security usually develops. When a parent decides to stop nursing or to take away a pacifier or bottle, they can experience much resistance from the child. The child can resist, cry and through temper tantrums. The parent must be determined not to acquiesce if she wants to facilitate and encourage development. A baby wants immediate attention, gratification, nourishment and comfort. A baby will cry and fret until he gets what he wants, what he thinks he should have and what he feels he needs. A child must learn to wait.
Spiritually speaking, the maturing believer must wean himself from the soul and all other sources of nourishment, security and comfort other than God, Himself. The maturing and truly spiritual believer, must be weaned from the mind (what I think), the will (what I want) and the emotions (how I feel). He also must be weaned from the prayers of others, support, encouraging words and prophecies from other mature believers. God will not be satisfied until we are totally and whole heartedly dependent upon Him for our comfort, security and nourishment.
To facilitate our development and maturity, God will allow us to be in obscure, solitary seasons, not to punish us, but to wean us. In these times of testing, it seems God is distant and withdrawn. Every source of comfort and security will seem to fail. It is in these times we see if we will truly wait on the Lord and walk by faith or if we will succumb to the soul and produce an Ishmael, something of the flesh, to get satisfaction.
The person who has weaned and quieted their soul will learn and develop the skill of waiting for the Lord to answer, give instructions and bring deliverance. Are you in a tough trial? Have you prayed? Have you waited for an answer and for deliverance? Are you concocting your own get-a-way plan or solution? Wean yourself from what you feel, think, and want and only be moved by the Spirit of God. Like the psalmist, compose yourself, quiet your soul and wait patiently on the Lord. “In your patience possess ye your souls” (Luke 21:19).