Our Hope; Just Wait.....
Have courage, for the Eternal is all that I will need.
My soul boasts, “Hope in God; just wait.” (Lamentations 3:24 The Voice Translation)
Just wait. Something good is bound to happen. Just wait. Something new, something better is coming. Just wait. You have your whole life ahead of you. Just wait. Good things come to those who wait. Just wait. Patience is a virtue. Just wait.
Patience. Waiting. How many of us are thrilled about the unavoidable reality that we are going to be expected to wait for a great deal in this life? Not my cup of tea, and I imagine many of you would agree. My devotional this morning was very timely, needed. Not because I am in a hurry for something in particular to happen, some momentous revelation, life altering moment to finally occur. Ryan and I have been in a state of transition for several years now recovering from some challenges life has handed us, and finding restoration as we embrace some new opportunities in ministry. If you’ve been through a similar transition, then you know as well as we do that recovery does not occur overnight. It takes time. In the midst of the transition, we have to go through stages of healing not that different from a grieving process. We have learned to walk and sometime crawl through these stages. What is God teaching me through this portion of the journey?
Trust—not in any human being in my life, not in my husband, not in my family, not in my friends, not in my church, not in any one particular person. Full and complete trust in my great big God. In spite of what He has allowed to occur in our lives, He is calling to me, always available to me, longing to embrace me and delight in my willingness to simply trust Him through every moment.
Courage—a lot of failures are going to occur in this life. It is certain, I can count on it. I’m human, everyone I love and care for is human, and it is only a matter of time before someone gets hurt, upset, angry, etc. If we allow it, our humanity, our emotions, our reaction can rule our state of being and it can cause us to behave very badly. I have a choice, in any and every moment of my life to stop, breathe in and call upon the Holy Spirit within me, to behave in a manner that is indicative of my spiritual discipline and selfless intent. By making the choice to rise above myself, be better than my human nature, I find myself strengthened and resolved. I am able to walk through a difficult moment, and ultimately strengthened for what lies ahead. This is not easy, it is a choice that takes great courage.
Presence—There is a great power when we choose to step into His Presence rather than stomp our feet in our circumstances. When it seems everyone and everything around me has failed, He does not. He is always there. He is faithful, and He has placed people in my life who have come beside me at precisely the right time to help hold me up when I don’t have the ability to even stand on my own two feet. When we choose to be still, simply sit and listen, allow ourselves to sink deeply into His Presence; that is when true healing and restoration begins. When I find myself there, I recognize how foolish I have been, what I have missed when I allowed so much to bind me up and keep me from full and complete fellowship with Him.
I admit how broken I am in body and spirit,
but God is my strength, and He will be mine forever. (Psalm 73:26 The Voice Translation)
Transitions, changing seasons of life are happening constantly for us all. Good, bad, no matter the circumstances, God is near to us at all times. He knows us, loves us, is purposing us for great things each and every moment we choose to trust Him.
So what will your choice be today? What are you waiting for? Our hope is in Him. Let’s wait, with great expectation.
My soul boasts, “Hope in God; just wait.” (Lamentations 3:24 The Voice Translation)
Just wait. Something good is bound to happen. Just wait. Something new, something better is coming. Just wait. You have your whole life ahead of you. Just wait. Good things come to those who wait. Just wait. Patience is a virtue. Just wait.
Patience. Waiting. How many of us are thrilled about the unavoidable reality that we are going to be expected to wait for a great deal in this life? Not my cup of tea, and I imagine many of you would agree. My devotional this morning was very timely, needed. Not because I am in a hurry for something in particular to happen, some momentous revelation, life altering moment to finally occur. Ryan and I have been in a state of transition for several years now recovering from some challenges life has handed us, and finding restoration as we embrace some new opportunities in ministry. If you’ve been through a similar transition, then you know as well as we do that recovery does not occur overnight. It takes time. In the midst of the transition, we have to go through stages of healing not that different from a grieving process. We have learned to walk and sometime crawl through these stages. What is God teaching me through this portion of the journey?
Trust—not in any human being in my life, not in my husband, not in my family, not in my friends, not in my church, not in any one particular person. Full and complete trust in my great big God. In spite of what He has allowed to occur in our lives, He is calling to me, always available to me, longing to embrace me and delight in my willingness to simply trust Him through every moment.
Courage—a lot of failures are going to occur in this life. It is certain, I can count on it. I’m human, everyone I love and care for is human, and it is only a matter of time before someone gets hurt, upset, angry, etc. If we allow it, our humanity, our emotions, our reaction can rule our state of being and it can cause us to behave very badly. I have a choice, in any and every moment of my life to stop, breathe in and call upon the Holy Spirit within me, to behave in a manner that is indicative of my spiritual discipline and selfless intent. By making the choice to rise above myself, be better than my human nature, I find myself strengthened and resolved. I am able to walk through a difficult moment, and ultimately strengthened for what lies ahead. This is not easy, it is a choice that takes great courage.
Presence—There is a great power when we choose to step into His Presence rather than stomp our feet in our circumstances. When it seems everyone and everything around me has failed, He does not. He is always there. He is faithful, and He has placed people in my life who have come beside me at precisely the right time to help hold me up when I don’t have the ability to even stand on my own two feet. When we choose to be still, simply sit and listen, allow ourselves to sink deeply into His Presence; that is when true healing and restoration begins. When I find myself there, I recognize how foolish I have been, what I have missed when I allowed so much to bind me up and keep me from full and complete fellowship with Him.
I admit how broken I am in body and spirit,
but God is my strength, and He will be mine forever. (Psalm 73:26 The Voice Translation)
Transitions, changing seasons of life are happening constantly for us all. Good, bad, no matter the circumstances, God is near to us at all times. He knows us, loves us, is purposing us for great things each and every moment we choose to trust Him.
So what will your choice be today? What are you waiting for? Our hope is in Him. Let’s wait, with great expectation.
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