Pssst! Over here! Come closer. A little closer, just a little closer... there.
Can I tell you something? I mean really let you in on something?
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Ok, so maybe it's not a secret that waiting on God isn't always the easiest thing to do but nevertheless it is something I believed that should be easy whenever I heard someone say to "wait on God."
Some days are easier than others. Everything is sunshine and glee on the rather easy days for me; contentment doesn't seem so far out of reach during those times. On a really bliss filled day I'll even want more time to wait on the Lord. However reality will set in and waiting on God can and does become much less blissful than I hoped it would be. Sometimes waiting on God is just downright painful.
I think many of us, myself included, tend to think about waiting on the Lord as this constant state of bliss and contentment. It's like this underlying assumption whenever we hear the advice given. But the reality of waiting also includes hardships, pain and mistakes. If it didn't where would faith come into play? Where would trusting in the Lord be?
Sure it's really easy for me to have faith and trust God on the days full of sunshine and easy sailing but what about when the skies turn grey and the wind and the waves make a might roar?
"You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
Matthew 8:26
When told to wait on God we must realize that the overall season of waiting has many other seasons within it. By reason of our fickle emotions, life circumstances and individual situations waiting on God is far from a constant state of bliss and contentment. (We're not on the other side of Eternity yet!) One thing I do know though is that God is ALWAYS good. He's good during seasons of plenty and during seasons of drought. Yes, God is always Good!
In my own season of waiting I've come to realize some important things that have helped me to get a clearer picture of what waiting on the Lord looks like. I want to share them with you today.
Waiting on God is not:
1. Easy (as I've already pointed out)
2. Passive
3. An excuse to do nothing
Waiting on God is:
1. A blessing
2. A way to build strength
3. An outward sign of trust in God
Each season of waiting will look different for each person but I truly believe that what I mentioned above applies to us all.
There are ups and downs in a season of waiting; easy days and hard days. Waiting on God is still a season where we need to do our part but ultimately it's trusting God to work on our behalf and bring the victory.
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
Isaiah 64:4
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oh, how true... and in the waiting, we find Him in ways we never would otherwise. THank you for this insightful post.
ReplyDeleteThank you Barbara! I'm so glad you came to visit!
DeleteGreat post today
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Val!
DeleteHi Gretchen! I am visiting from Teaching What Is Good.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post for today. I know that I can get very impatient waiting, I want that answer right NOW! But I'd rather be like that person in your photo...happy to sit and wait on the Lord. I have to get used to that Season of Waiting.
So nice to meet you today!
Ceil
Hi Ceil! Thank you so much for visiting and the encouraging words. Yes, it's not all that easy for me to wait either. I'm rather impatient and would like the thing I ask for immediately. Slowly but surely though God is growing me in this area.
DeleteIt's a pleasure to meet you as well! Thank you again for coming to visit. God bless!
Awesome post, Gretchen! I loved that you pointed out that waiting on God is not an excuse to do nothing. I often find when I get discouraged about waiting, I tend to not want to even try which is not what He wants me to do. Thanks for the reminder! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Brooke! So glad you enjoyed the post!
DeleteWell put together, I love this, so true. I'd love for you to share it with my Cozy Reading spot - the link up opens on Thursday morning, if you are interested you could stop by any time this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI hope to see you there
Marissa
http://forfunreadinglist.blogspot.com
Thank you Marissa! And thank you for the link up invite! I would be delighted to link up this post there. I will try to remember to do it in the morning.
DeleteBlessings to you!