A four letter word...
A word that plagues my life every day...
The one word that everyone around me keeps saying...
WAIT!
If you know me at all, you know that being idle is not my strong point. When I am watching tv, I am doing something else at the same time. When I am home alone, I am doing something... reading, searching recipes, chatting with friends. When I have a day to myself, I have to have a plan to get out- even if it is to the library or grocery store. I hate not having a routine and I hate not knowing what tomorrow brings.
This is where God must have a sense of humor. Does He giggle when I squirm because I don't know how to spend my free time? Does he chuckle when I try to plan things to do and people cancel those plans? Does He send bumps and curves on the road of my journey just to see what I will do? He created me the way I am, why does he constantly seek to find ways to make me wait???
I don't really believe that God would cause me to wiggle and squirm. I truly know that the bumps, curves and changes He sends will serve a purpose in the future. But what about the here and now? Suddenly I have one more week at work and then, an open summer. I would be lying if I didn't say that I am a little worried about it. Put aside the financial aspect of not working the summer and focus on the emotional aspect of it... How in the world am I going to spend my time?
The past couple of days, my time with the Lord has revolved around this topic... waiting. Even more interesting is that my circumstances all center around waiting on God's timing. In Acts 1, the disciples were told to wait on the Holy Spirit. But the disciples were "doers". They wanted to get to the task at hand. Jesus told them in Acts 1:4 :Wait here to receive the promise from the Father which I told you about." Of course the disciples didn't get it. (You think they would at this point) They asked questions, "Lord, are you know going to give the kingdom back to Israel?" Patiently, Jesus responded in verse 7, "The Father is the only one who has authority to decide dates and times. these things are not for you to know. But when the Holy Spirit comes to you, you will receive power."
Here is a great song I found on you tube this morning:
http://www.godvine.com/Wait-on-the-Lord-Original-Song-by-Coffey-Anderson-311.html
Even better was a commentary I read about waiting for the power of the Lord:
"The amazing thing which is discernible on the pages of every period of Christian history is that there are always those who are willing to wait for power to do the Lord's will. Most of the great men and women of history have had LONG periods of excruciating preparation for participation in Christ's mission. It is during these periods that the Lord who does his work IN us before He does His work THROUGH us, gets us ready to do his "new thing" in each age. When we are quiet we realize our impotency to follow Christ. We feel the inadequacy of our love at the very moment we catch a vision of the worlds need for us. It is at that moment that preparation is taking place."
-God's Best for my Life
Of course there are other scriptures that popped out from one devotional study to another. (It always seems to do that when God really wants me to "get something.")
People who do what is right may have many problems
but the Lord will solve them all.
- Psalm 34:19
But the people who trust in the Lord will become strong again.
They will rise up as an eagle in the sky, they will run and not need rest.
They will walk and not become tired.
-Isaiah 40:31
The Lord your God is with you; the mighty one will save you.
He will rejoice over you.
You will rest in his love.
He will sing and be joyful about you.
-Zephaniah 3:17
So I will try not to cringe when I hear the word, "wait." I will try to remember that this is a time where God is teaching me to rest, to trust, and to really seek him. There will be a time for "doing" there always is... people around us always need to know God and feel his love through the body of Christ. But for now he is preparing me. He is teaching me that I can't do it on my own strength. I need Him.
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