Waiting to be with the ones you love to spend time with is hard. I remember the days when I was falling in love with my man and we were hundreds of miles apart. It was painful. But when we did have the opportunities to be in one an other's company the excitement was so great that we forgot about all the time that separated us before. Don't you think it might be something like that when we get to heaven? Makes me wonder about how our Father God, our Creator, waits for that great day when we are all united in His heavenlies. Makes me wonder, too, how His aching heart handles waiting on the souls of His dear children that are lost... those that have not yet repented of their sins and accepted His loving offer of salvation.
As I'm sure you've realized by now, God prompted me to post outside of the Golden Rule series for today (just one more verse to go in that thanks series). This post is primarily about waiting and how God prefers us to do that. But it is also about thanks; the gratitude that we experience in our hearts when we follow God's desire and plan for our lives and the lives we influence by living ours in His will. The verses that prompted this post are:
"I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.' The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." Lamentations 3:24-26
God first gave me this verse a month or so ago as I was praying with all my might for a deep ache in my heart. I wasn't waiting well. I was trying to convince God to do things my way. In that battle of wills, I lost my joy. I was feeling pretty defeated in my faith walk. I never felt that God left me, no, just that I didn't understand why it had to be so hard to enjoy what He had blessed me with. So, my precious, loving, unforsaking God gave me Lamentations 3:24-26 to remind me that "He's got this" but I needed to be patient and WAIT for His perfect timing. His PERFECT TIMING.
God is good all the time. I know that and trust Him in that. The part that I waiver in is the waiting for the better things that He has planned. Why do we want to settle for the lesser to get it faster? Impatience is a bugger. I realize this post is going to get long by including both of these lessons from two of my devotional resources, but I feel that God wants me to share them both. So here goes...
From my Mom's Devotional Bible (given to me at MOPS many years ago) by Elisa Morgan:
The Best Days of Your Life
How much of mothering we miss because our focus is simply on surviving! We act as though the business of raising children is simply something we must get through before we tackle the really important stuff of life. Sure, we all seethe at the well-intended advice from kindly grandmothers in grocery stores who tell us (as we wrestle with three cranky kids in the checkout line), "These are the best days of your life! Enjoy them because they pass so quickly!"
"Not quickly enough," we mutter under our breath.
But these women do have a point - one that comes with the wisdom of their years. The stage of mothering young children is a stage. It only feels like an era! And it will pass. It will not last forever. It will end one day.
Gold loses its luster and becomes dull. But investing in the life of a child is an investment that will last forever. Make the most of life's irretrievable moments - now.
And, of course, my fave - Sarah Young's, Jesus Calling:
Waiting on Me means directing your attention to Me in hopeful anticipation of what I will do. It entails trusting Me with every fiber of your being, instead of trying to figure things out yourself. Waiting on Me is the way I designed you to live: all day, every day. I created you to stay conscious of Me as you go about your daily duties.
I have promised many blessings to those who wait on Me: renewed strength, living above one's circumstances, resurgence of hope, awareness of My continual Presence. Waiting on Me enables you to glorify Me by living in deep dependence on Me, ready to do My will. It also helps you to enjoy Me; in My Presence is fullness of Joy.
"but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31
"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Psalm 16:11
My girlfriends group is beginning to see the other side of the mothering "era" (mentioned above) and realize some of the payoff to our investing in our kids. Praise God! During our years in MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) we learned valuable lessons on how to persevere through the stages of mothering. The most valuable lessons were clinging to and building our relationship with Jesus and with each other so we had enough strength and resources to invest in our growing families.
God hasn't yet blessed me with the outcome, I truly believe with all my heart, that we (both God and I) desire. The answer to that fervent prayer is coming, I know. But while I wait He has given me hope, direction, incredible peace and restored my joy in His presence. He is teaching me how to wait well. Praise and thank God for being such a patient and loving teacher that never, ever lets go of our hand and is ever-so dedicated to investing in His children!! Praise Him for teaching us to wait well.
"I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope." Psalm 130:5
"And be thankful." Colossians 3:15b
Well said, chicka! Love you! Co
ReplyDelete