Tag: waiting

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Faith Walking

Isaiah 42:16 (NIV) 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NASB)

2 Corinthians 5:7 gets quoted a lot.  “We walk by faith, not by sight.”  In Christian circles it rolls off the tongue with great regularity.  But I don’t think I understood it – really understood it – till this year.

This year has been good and awful at the same time.  the bad has seemed to go on and on.  My business/ministry is at a standstill.  I’ve had several health bumps in the road.  Relationships that matter have had rocky moments.  I’ve laid down a ministry at God’s direction.  Grief has reared it’s head more than expected.  Property issues have continued to concern me.  It has felt like every part of my life is up in the air like the balls a juggler uses.  However, mine are all still up in the air with no prediction of coming back down.

The good has been very good.  With no work appointments, I’ve had that precious commodity – TIME – to take care of myself physically and deal with the rest.  I’ve had sacred moments with my adult children that I will never forget.  My grandchildren have brought me so much joy.  And the grief ministry I have been able to do is such a blessing – plus – most of it would not have happened if I didn’t have time.

That lengthy explanation brings me to my point.  I am learning to trust – really trust.  The idea of walking by faith and not by sight is my reality.  I think I understand how much deeper it is than it seems as one quickly quotes that verse.  It’s waiting, trusting and all the while seeing nothing.  I’m an Israelite sitting in my tent, waiting for the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire to move.

I don’t know the way, but God does.  The plan isn’t clear to me but God has a plan, and it’s good.

Isaiah 42:16 came up in my reading today.  It says, “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.”

That verse resonates with me.  This walking by faith without sight – in many ways I’m walking blind.  But the incredible thing about it is, I’m not alone.  God is leading me along unfamiliar paths.  He’s guiding me and giving light here and there.  And I can fully trust that at the right time, He will completely turn the darkness to light and make these rough, hard, and uncertain places smooth.

It’s not that suddenly all will be perfect.  It is, however, that the wilderness I’m in right now, will become a promised land of sorts.  I simply need to keep trusting God while I sit in my tent.

“Do not fear for I am with you.  Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”   Isaiah  41:10

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Waiting……..and Trusting

Psalm 27:14  Wait patiently for the Lord.  Be brave & courageous.  Yes wait patiently for the Lord.

Have you ever considered how much time you spend waiting?  As I write this I’m waiting for service to be completed on my car.  It’s necessary, but not fun.

We wait at the doctor’s office, dentist, grocery line, movie ticket line, concessions, DMV, restaurant, theme park – UGH!  The list goes on & on.

Are you waiting on God?  That’s where I am right now.  Matter of fact, it’s going on 5 months.  I’m trying to really listen.  I’m trying to be patient.  And in the waiting, I believe I’m learning to trust.

Where are you right now?  How long have you been waiting?  Has God been teaching you things in the waiting room?  Have you drawn closer to Him or are you choosing to sit in the dark. . .upset, frustrated, even angry?

It’s ok to feel these things.  God is big enough to hear, love & absorb your pain.  But don’t stay isolated.  Bring your frustrations to God and be honest.  He knows anyway.  Bring everything into the light.  There’s healing and help there.

Every situation is different.  Waiting is no one’s favorite thing.  But if you are a child of God, know that the waiting is for a purpose.  The tough part is we can’t see the purpose; we don’t know what’s going on or where we will come out of this.  I can talk about this openly because I’m living it.  And it’s a hard place to be.  Your waiting room is hard too – – – right?

Even though I am still in God’s waiting room, I’ve learned some things.  Please allow me to share them with you.  I’m clearly not an expert, but as one who is STILL sitting in the waiting room. . . . I’m seeing things differently.  The thing is – I might never have seen them this way if I had not entered the room.

I’ve not heard God’s voice audibly.  But I have heard it in my spirit.  It’s from this place that I heard Him say the following.  “I know you love Me.  Do you love Me enough to trust Me?  You believe & love but do you trust?  Do you trust completely?  In the waiting, I want you to rest. . .and trust. . .trust more.“

In this room I have been blessed reading His word.  I’ve spent more time praying.  I’ve spent more time listening.  I’m learning to trust more.  Just when I think I’m getting to the top of my tank, the tank suddenly gets bigger and I need to do more – – – more waiting, more trusting.  You too?

It may seem like this isn’t going to be tied up neatly.  And you’re right.  But the point I want to make is – – – keep going.  Keep pressing into Him.  Keep praying.  Keep waiting.  Trust more.  Read & believe God’s promises in His word.

You and I are not finished yet.  But one thing we can take to the bank…………..we are God’s masterpiece, even while we are in the process.

~~God promises to finish the good work in us.  Philippians 1:6

~~God calls us a masterpiece!!  Ephesians 2:10

So in the waiting, dear friend………………………..TRUST !

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What Should We Do?

Luke 3: 1 – 20

Day in and day out we make choices.  Some are easier than others.  But what really stops us in our tracks are the big questions like,   “What should I do?”  This is not meaning, should I go to a party or event, or stay home.  No.  This question, the one that tugs on our heart, is about seeking God’s will, usually concerning something significant.

Let me interject here that we NEED to seek God’s will in EVERYTHING, especially the big decisions in life.  We desperately need His guidance.

However, in the midst of waiting for the big answers, I believe God tells us many times in scripture to do what we know.  Certainly in this passage, that comes through loud and clear.

John the Baptist had quite a thriving ministry, even though he was an odd sort of dude out in the wilderness.  People came to hear his message of repentance and they asked him, “what should we do?”  They were looking for a big theological answer –  for a cosmic revelation.

There were three groups asking this question.  John’s answers pretty much told them to do what they knew was right.

To the multitudes he said, share your resources with the poor or those who had a need.

To the tax collectors he said, be honest and don’t be greedy.

To the soldiers he said, have integrity in your job, don’t lie, and be content with your wages.

This all seems like simple stuff.  These are things everyone should do.  There’s no new revelation here.  I think that is precisely what we can get out of this scripture passage.  While we are waiting for God to give us the bigger answers, it’s important to do what we know.

For me personally, I see two truths I can cling to reliably.  1 – God is always working on my behalf.  So while He is working on my bigger issues, I need to keep doing what I know to do – “just keep swimming” –  and trust that God’s got this.  And 2 – be faithful in the small things.  If I can’t do the smaller things, why would God trust me with more?

So thank you Lord for leading me to this scripture today.  Thank you for showing me something I have never seen before.  Thank you for the assurance that as You are working on my big questions, I can continue to be faithful in what I know to do — day-to-day, in the ordinary, in the regular, in the mundane, in everyday life.