Waiting and Trusting Go Hand in Hand

Two dear friends, wonderful women of God, went to be with Jesus in recent days.  Christine Alexander Terrasson in Sweden and Cindy Patrick in Trinidad, Colorado.  We worked with Christine in Amsterdam, and Cindy in Stonewall, Colorado.  Both had endured years of suffering.  They are now at peace and fully healed!  I take comfort in that.  I keep thinking what a wonderful reunion we will have some day with all our dear ones who have gone before us into glory.

I've always said that people are our greatest gift - and these two women certainly exemplify that.  I was cooking something and pulled out my hand written cookbook.  I have lots of recipes from family and friends.  Christine helped me copy them into one book.  Her printing/writing was so much better than mine.  It brought back so many memories of how she loved and served us - and prayed for us!  She was a great intercessor.

I have beautiful cross-stitch pieces hanging in my office - including a large one for my 50th birthday - all done by Cindy.  She was amazingly talented - in so many areas.  Her cross stitch pieces are just one example.  I treasure her works of art.  Cindy loved to read - she was an avid reader.  And she loved to have discussions with Floyd about things she was reading.  Cindy and her dear husband Tom were such a blessing to our community.

I don't know why Christine and Cindy had to suffer so long before Jesus taking them home.  I still don't understand that about Floyd either.  But I know I trust God's wisdom and timing.  A quote I saw - "Patience means awaiting God's time without doubting God's love."  It's a simple statement - but very profound!  Waiting and trusting go hand in hand.

There are many things we can wonder about, even worry about - but we have to anchor our hearts and minds in trust.  God has reasons that we don't see or understand.  Time and time again I've had to rest and just trust.....speaking it out to the Lord.  He brings beauty out of ashes, joy out of sorrow, peace out of adversity.  He is continually at work to bring good things out of every hard thing we face.  Sarah Young says "we will find golden pockets of peace hidden in the hardness of our problems."  I can testify to the truth of that!!

"My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him."  Psalm 62:5

"I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation."  Psalm 13:5

"My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me."  Psalm 63:8

"Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."  Psalm 37:5

"He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord."  Psalm 112:7

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.  Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul."  Psalm 143:8

"God, you're my refuge.  I trust in you and I'm safe."  Psalm 91:2  The Message

"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.  It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes."  Psalm 118:8,9

"He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage."  Proverbs 11:28

I'm glad I don't have to make the decisions that God makes.  I'd probably make a mess of things.  But I know I can trust the Lord's infinite wisdom.  Someday in our never-ending eternity, I'd like to ask God to share that wisdom on certain things.  Eternity is a long time!  Maybe He'll have classes to teach us more of His ways.

Waiting

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.