Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Just Waiting

Waiting is not something I do very well. I am one of those people who wants it done yesterday. Not tomorrow. Not a week from now. And, heaven forbid, a year from now! When I get my mind made up, I want to get on the ball and accomplish the task at hand.

I realize that patience is a virtue, but I am still working to acquire that one. I want to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I want to see it NOW!!!!!!
Forget the process of getting there. Show me the end result.

Ecclesiastes 7:8 tells me that "The end of the matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride". I am ashamed to say that I have way more pride that patience. Guess I need to work on that.

Lots of things are hanging in the balance right now for our family. We are currently waiting for our house to sell. We are still unsure that we are doing the right thing But, are trying desperately to follow God's leading. We don't have any idea where the house is that God has for us. No one is exactly knocking down the door to buy ours either. So, we continue to play the waiting game.

I really despise that feeling of "not knowing" what the future holds. But, when you think about it, we never really know anyway, do we? We just kind of think we do just because everything falls into a routine. It's when that comfortable routine gets all topsy-turvy that we get anxious.

One thing I have learned is to keep on keepin' on. Keep living life. Keep enjoying all the moments in-between when things are uncertain. Keep trusting in The One Who holds it all anyway. I am certainly glad that ONE is not me. I wouldn't even want that responsibility, would you? In that case, why do we so eagerly grasp things with our own weak hands and refuse to loosen that grip when God calls us to let things go and let Him work? I think it must be that pride thing creeping in again.

Oh well, No one ever said this life would be easy. In fact, God told us just the opposite.

John 16:33 NIV says: "I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you WILL have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world."

What good news! These uncertain times will not last forever! I can honestly say that I have heard God in my siprit over and over again telling me to just wait and be patient, that He has things more wonderful in store for us than I can ever imagine. In that respect, I am excited. Even in the midst of my waiting, with no signs of the light at the end of the tunnel, no promise of when, where, or how.

Wait, maybe there is a promise. Jesus is the How. So, who cares about the when or the where!!

Habakkuk 1:3 NIV: "Look at the nations and watch- be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told."

I think what He has for us would be too wonderful for description. That is why we have to wait for it. I also believe that we will see it here in this lifetime, sooner than later. Why? Because He wants only the best for His children.

You know, when something is lost, something better is gained. That's how God's economic plan works!!


I would like to share a poem with you today. I got it from my former pastor, Rick Auten, many years ago. It is written, to the best of my knowledge, by Nancy Lee Demoss. The words say it all. I hope it touches you as it does me.
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WAIT!
by Nancy Lee Demoss

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate...
and the Master so gently said, " Wait."

"Wait? You say wait", my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!"
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

My future and all to which I relate,
Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to wait?
I'm needing a 'yes' a 'go-ahead' sign.
Or even a 'no' to which I'll resign.

You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,
we need to but ask, and we shall receive.
Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply.

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate,
as my Master replied again, "Wait."
So I slumpled in my chair, defeated and taut,
and grumbled to God, "So I'm waiting... for what?"

He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine...
and He tenderly said "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause the mountains to run.

I could give you all you seek and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint.
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.

You'd not learn to see through the clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me,
When darkness and silence are all you can see.

You'd never experience the fullness of love,
When the peace of my spirit decends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of my heart.

The glow of My comort late into the night,
The faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond just getting what you ask,
From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

You'd never know should your pain quickly flee,
'WAIT' means that My grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
But oh, what a loss, if I lost what I'm doing in you.

So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see,
that the greatest of gifts is to truly know me...
and though oft My answers seem terribly late,
my most precious answer of all is still 'WAIT'."
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Are you waiting with me? Leave a comment so I'll know I'm not in the waiting game alone! God is with us, dear friend. And, we're in it together!!

Love and Blessings,
Starr

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7 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are not alone. I am waiting with you. Wonderful article!
Love
Brenda

koinonia community said...

Girl, you know I am there. I hate to tell you how long it took our house to sell also. I mean, we just KNEW that God had told us it was time. But when it did sell finally, we could truly see his reason behind waiting. And honestly, he had to prepare us for some big surprises. We would have been terrified if we would have known what all was coming our way. And still I am waiting...just for something else.

So...was that reasurring or what?!

Kay Martin said...

I am still learning to wait. May I encourage you, God has gotten through to me and I wait better than I used to. Loved the poem. Psalm 27 is a life chapter for me and it ends with "Wait, I say Wait on the Lord."

Be blessed.

Sharon said...

What a wonderful post, and Yes I am waiting.... We have given the situation to God and we are waiting, we are in no hurry!! Before this we were, but we have learned to slow down and just Relax God is in Control, "Wait"!

What a great reminder
Have a Blessed Day
Sharon :)

Anonymous said...

Yep - sometimes I feel like I miss too much of the now for waiting on what's coming next! I've tried really hard lately to live in the NOW and let the rest take care of itself. I see my babies growing up right before my eyes and I don't want to miss a minute of this time for thinking about the future! It's tough though - really tough! :)

Joanne@ Blessed... said...

Waiting is the W word that I just don't like one bit. I have a microwave mentality, thirty secondes or less!

Praying that you have peace in God's waiting room.

Love you friend!

p.s. where you going to move to?

Anonymous said...

It is so hard for me to be still and wait. Timing is everything and when I try to hurry God, he allows mme to wait even longer.