For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
Habakkuk 2:3 (NIV)
Most of us are not good at waiting. When we determine what we think is the best thing for us, WE WANT IT NOW! Ever notice how that rarely happens in our prayer lives? Occasionally prayers are answered immediately, but God usually seems to be on a different time schedule than us.
It’s very hard to look at our waiting time as a training pause, but that’s exactly what it is in most cases. What is God trying to show us? What are we supposed to be doing now….right now? In the last blog (https://mvarga.com/spiritual-insights/now-what/) I suggested it was the Holy Spirit prompting us to do the next best thing we could do at the time…. Pray? Reach out to someone? Complete something on our ‘to do’ list? Exercise?
Life is rarely what we call mountain top moments. We’ve all had those wonderful times when everything seems to just click and we look at things from a different perspective. Now we know what God wants us to do! Sometimes we call those ‘Ah-ha! moments’.
Between those ‘Ah-ha! moments’ we need to live our day-to-day life in a way that is pleasing to God, doing the things He would want us to do. It seems He wants us to stay in this stage for a L.O.O.O.O.N.G time. How long Oh Lord? That was King David’s question.
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
Psalm 13:1 (NIV)
It’s so easy to get frustrated and impatient during this waiting time. Are we even sure we’re doing the right thing? My ever-rationalizing son, Andrew wants to see proof whenever confronted with suggestions to improve whatever is ailing him in life. After weighing all the evidence, there comes a point when we have to take a leap of faith. If it’s wrong…we’ve simply learned another way NOT to do it!
Maybe we’re just afraid to try something new. It will make us feel uncomfortable. We’re such creatures of habit AND comfort! Most times we know in our hearts when something doesn’t feel right. Red flag though! Feelings can be very, very fickle! God’s will and OUR feelings can be polar opposite things.
Are we distressed or challenged with something? Have we run out of remedies? Is the issue becoming more than we can handle? That’s the time to lean into the Lord, expecting Him to lead us to the answer. Maybe this is the time to pull out our Bible concordance to see how the Lord would want us to respond.
For the last decade, I have begun my exercise classes with the instruction, “Inhale and pull yourself up to the ceiling!” It’s my way to get the whole class sitting and standing taller. Perhaps we could start our day better, if while still in bed, we inhaled and looked up…to the Lord. What an excellent way to start the day!
We have the blessed assurance that the Lord is with us wherever we go and will not leave us in distress. He will provide us the strength necessary to either endure or turn around whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.
Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
Isaiah 30:18 (NIV)
Remember to always look and expect others to be the hands & feet of God. We are not an island to be kept to ourselves. Most times, those ‘ah-ha moments’ happen when we’re experiencing life with other people. Through others, we arrive at what we are to do.
Our father is the God Almighty. Just like our earthly dad, He wants the best for us. We may not always understand or agree with the path He assigns to us…but know that He is always working on our behalf. God knows and sees things that we don’t even perceive at the time. How many times have we looked back only to realize He saved our neck by withholding something (someone?) we thought we couldn’t live without? That’s what a good father does.
We just need to keep doing the next best thing! God sees all our efforts and will answer our prayers in His own way and time!
A dear friend of mine from Louisville Christian Writers (also a Mary) wrote the lyrics and melody to a beautiful Christian song called, OCCUPY.
I’ll share part of the chorus with you…
You’ve got to watch and wait, eagerly anticipating …DON”T RUN AWAY AND HIDE
You’ve got to watch and wait, eagerly anticipating…PRAY AND OCCUPY
You’ve got to OCCUPY, until He comes…
I have to admit when Mary gave me the CD, I had to ask her what OCCUPY meant. That word was not in my Christian vocabulary.
When we OCCUPY, we go about our normal lives remaining in the presence of the Lord. Our thoughts and actions are made always in consideration of what He would want us to do…always thinking of His will for our life and for the world.
Perhaps God has a bigger plan in mind for our life. Maybe our life is the catalyst for something that could be a greater value to others. Remember to lean into God, looking and waiting for His direction.
Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
None of us has a crystal ball to tell us the future. We do the best we can holding tight to the hope that God will work everything out for our good and HIS glory. Just keep doing the next best thing! Like the song says… We are to watch and wait, eagerly anticipate, not run away and hide.
Then we OCCUPY until He comes…
Dear Lord,
We’re trying. We really are! Please show us where we need to make adjustments in our plans and dreams. We are all selfish, sinful people.
We are also Your children! Please help us to recognize the Holy Spirit’s promptings as we go about our day. Inspire us to look to You for guidance and comfort.
Thank You for placing others in our life to be Your hands and feet!
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