Tired of Waiting?
Good Morning!
You know the story. The story of my surgery. Well, this is the month that I would finally be having it done if God hadn’t arranged the miracle in Tennessee for me. I already know some people will poo-poo that and say it was luck or “the universe” but I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that God set that up for me long before I got to see the miracle.
The reason I was thinking of this today is that I have some friends who are waiting on God for something. They have needs that they desperately need to have fulfilled. Doubts creep in during waiting times. Thoughts occur to us that perhaps we aren’t enough or haven’t done enough to make those circumstances change. The same can be said of suffering. Yes, there are some situations that have been caused by our sin and there are other situations that are common to all of us living here on this earth. There are also some situations of waiting or suffering that are due to us being Christians. If we are tightly bound to God our Father then He is going to work to make us more like His Son day by day. That requires some pain since we have a sinful nature and it requires time. Patience and change are never developed over night. It requires the seeds being planted and the time for growth before the harvest. No matter if our sin caused our situation or if it is due to being a member of this world or if it is because God is trying to grow us, what does it sound like the solution is?
Trust God and Trust His timing. Let HIM do the work in us and our situation.
The more we try to figure things out and let anxiety take over the unknowns, the less we are growing and the less we are trusting.
There have been many times in the past that I got a visual of what it was like for the Israelites going around the mountain in the desert with Paradise so close yet so far away. Their inability to let God do what He does and their choice to complain and stress seems to have contributed to their long journey that should have taken such a short time. Whenever I catch myself “going around the mountain” I call out to God and ask Him to show me what to do just for today so that I don’t go the familiar route around that same old mountain and instead take a couple more steps toward Paradise. Even though we think of Paradise as heaven, in this case, I consider it Peace. I consider it being in God’s will and promises. I consider it a place of trust and joy despite circumstances.
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” 1 Peter 5:6-10
When I see a circumstance as an opportunity to let God shine out His miraculous work, I get my focus off of me. When I see a circumstance as the devil prowling around doing what he does best, trying to take my eyes off of God and His power, then I get into fight mode. I’m ready to resist and stand firm. I am NOT going to let him have the power to control my thinking.
Because my surgery in Tennessee had the perfect timing in all ways, I have that tucked in my mind whenever I have little leaks of doubt in my mind about what God is doing. I have a vision that I think He planted. It seems so huge and it seems like it would take miracles to make it happen. The best part is that I don’t worry about it. I’ve learned that He sets up circumstances in His time. My part is simply to ask what I should do for today and then follow through. I need to be intentional and not let distractions pull me off course, but I do need to let Him be God. This is not about me. This is all about Him and watching to see the miracles and provision that will bring the attention always back to Him.
May you trust in the Lord our God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength!.....even while you wait.
jennie
