Waiting
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I had an alarming wakeup on Sunday morning - a little before 6 a.m. I was soundly asleep when my security alarm went off. As I woke up, I heard some noise - and a few minutes later my neighbor called me. I had an intruder on my property!!! It was quite an adrenaline rush. Thankfully he wasn't targeting my property. He was trying to escape the security men that were after him. He hid one street over on someone's property for 3 hours, but then they found him. He's a known criminal, so he's off to jail. I had to go to the police station to file a report, so I've had time to think about all that happened.
The predominant thought I've had is that the Lord protected me. No harm to me or my property, nothing taken, my neighbor was watching out for me, it's all captured on camera.....the only thing was the massive adrenaline rush. It took a while for my body to calm down!
This episode has reminded me of how wonderfully good and faithful the Lord has been to me. I often speak/pray out all the ways He's helped me.
He is my Rock.
He's definitely my Protector.
He's my Strength day by day.
He's my Companion, my husband.
He's my Comfort, especially on lonely days.
He's my Provider, of my every need.
He's my Counselor, my source of wisdom.
He gives me sufficient Grace for each day.
He's my Healer.
He is the Refuge I seek.
He is the Strong Tower I run to.
He is continually Near to me.
He's my Help for everything I face.
He is my Joy, which brings strength.
He is my Hope, for each new day.
He is the Power I need in my weakness.
And the list goes on and on and on! It's truly endless in His provision for me/us.
Since Floyd became ill, and then when he passed away - I think I rely more on the Lord than I ever did before. I don't have a husband anymore to help me through things. That presses me into the Lord much more powerfully. And He has been more than enough for everything I've faced. I am so very grateful for His goodness and faithfulness. I don't feel alone. I feel surrounded by God's loving care in whatever I need.
"Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." Psalm 62:8
"Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe." Proverbs 29:25
"Your Maker is your husband. The Lord of hosts is His name." Isaiah 54:5
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9
"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
"My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19
"I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me." Micah 7:7
I have faced many difficult things in these past years - and even now. But I lack for nothing because God has been faithfully with me each step of the way. I don't have sufficient words to say how very, very grateful I am. He is so good and faithful.
Waiting. It's one of the hardest things in life to do. From the smallest, most mundane things to the biggest life changing things - waiting is hard. We can make all the right choices and responses, but it doesn't make waiting any easier. It doesn't speed up the process. It doesn't relieve the pressure. Waiting is simply that - waiting. And it isn't easy.
I've done a lot of waiting in the last 9+ years. In fact, it seems like that's all I've done. Wait for one thing after another. Wait for answers. Wait for change. Wait for understanding. I've gotten tired of waiting. I've gotten frustrated with waiting. I've battled to keep hope alive while waiting. But - I've waited! And waited!
Waiting involves patience. Without it you can't keep waiting. You have to take a deep breath, even sigh a little bit, and be patient. You can't fight the waiting - it is what it is, so you must be patient.
Waiting also involves trust. Without trust there's no basis for the waiting - and the hope. Trust has to be the foundation for our waiting. Trust that God sees our situation, that He is at work in it, and that He has answers. Trust that He has a plan. Trust that He will help us wait. Trust that He won't give us more than we can bear. Trust that He will be faithful to us while we wait. And continuing to trust if the answer comes and it wasn't what we thought it would be!
In this world of instant everything - waiting almost seems like it should be a thing of the past. But God doesn't see it that way. He has plans and purposes for our waiting. The prayers we have prayed hundreds of times. The promises we hold close to our hearts wondering when they will be fulfilled. He has heard every prayer, and His promises are sure and true. But we usually have to wait for the answers. Waiting is one of the ways God works in our lives. He doesn't see it as wasted time. He uses it to draw us close to Him.
"Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord! Psalm 27:14
"The Lord is good to those who wait for Him." Lamentations 3:25
"Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore He exalts Himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him." Isaiah 30:18
"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope." Psalm 130:5
"For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him." Psalm 62:5
"But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me." Micah 7:7
While I don't like the waiting, I do my best to wait patiently. And I tell the Lord daily that I trust Him. I also ask Him to help me to wait and not create answers that are mine and not His. He is good and faithful. In His timing, the waiting will be over.