My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning." (Psalm 130:5-6)
"Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,they will walk and not become weary." (Is.40:31)
"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." (Psalm 27:14)
"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him." (Psalm 62:5)
"It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD." (Lamentations 3:26)
In the last 3 years, Kurt and I have experienced together, more than ever, the longsuffering of waiting...
It is not as if we have never gone through any period in our life where we were not waiting for something to come about. However, God has intensified our waiting moments as we went through 10 months of unemployment, 8 months of a 500 mile separation, and most recently a year of night shift work.
Today holds a special significance. Tonight, when Kurt goes in to work, it will be his last 12 hour overnight shift to work at his present job and location. This has been a long time coming for a woman who found it hard to accept that assignment for my husband's job in God's plan. But our God can do amazing things in His people, when they finally relent and release it ALL to Him. And this He did for me.
During all of this past year, we were keenly aware that God was working in us, looking for change and growth out of us, but still, we were waiting,.... waiting for the next steps in His plan to take place. Even recently, Kurt mentioned he was waiting to see what God would bring about in his career out of all these changes. Why is life SO much of the time simply about .....waiting?
Let me attempt to tell you by what HE has taught us!
"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-4)
Faith is a gift from God. We cannot grow it within ourselves.
WAITING IS A TESTING OF OUR FAITH.
Having to wait for something or on something that hasn't happened yet makes us have to practice Patience!
If faith is the gift, then patience is the wrapping God puts on this awesome package. Inside the workings of patience, we are compelled to pray and proclaim our trust in our God. When we tear away the gift wrap of patience, we find the awesome, unshakable supply of more faith and a deeper confidence in our Lord. It is this confidence that enables us to turn our life circumstances over to God and fully yield to His work and will for us. We gain a trust that is grounded in HOPE. It is an expectant hope in a God Who keeps His promises.
Waiting in life is inevitable.... It can be painful.
Could you radically change your outlook about something you are waiting on in these present days of your life?
Picture that package with the wrapping of patience around it. It is a mysterious gift! It is only in the waiting that God does His best work and reveals His secret treasures to those who wait upon Him. He strengthens faith... increases courage... renews hope... and turns our expectations toward Him alone.
Do not be impatient for God to work. Keep pressing on, obeying Him with the measure of faith you have in the moment, confident He is with you. Stay strong in your race, for He has promised to renew your strength. You will not faint. He will see you through. You will run and not be weary. Obey, simply by doing what you know to do, and wait for God to do the rest....His best!
So, this is what I tell you. We have learned that if we endure, God delivers! He gives us way more than we ever could have imagined. He is faithful.
Cry out for His peace as you wait on Him. You will taste His merciful bounty of goodness as a reward. Wait, and see...
Courage!
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