Exchange your ‘Why’ for a ‘Who’

 

Do you ever find yourself behaving like a toddler, following God around and uttering that annoying one-syllable word ‘why’ repeatedly?

We question God on so many accounts and for so many reasons. We struggle with the why and the unanswered prayers. We fight against the silence and the ‘whys’ just keep rolling off our tongue.

Well, you’re not alone in your questioning. Not only do we, in this present day, suffer from this annoying habit, but so did our predecessors.

Over and over, we read in the Bible, and particularly the Psalms, of people grief stricken, hurting and asking why of God.

Psalm 22:1-2 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

King David was very vocal in pouring out his heart to God.

There will always be times and seasons in our lives where we find ourselves questioning God. But God is near, and he longs for you to pour out your heart to him. Not just in the good times, but in those difficult seasons too.

When we tell God exactly how we feel and be specific about our fears and doubts, he doesn’t turn a deaf ear. He is listening even if it seems he is not. He is working in the background, his plans unfolding in the darkness, ready to be revealed in his perfect timing.

I love these verses in Psalm 62.

Psalm 62:5-8 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

These verses encourage us to pour our hearts out to God. The Hebrew word for pouring out has the idea of to dump, cast, gush or shed. That sounds very dramatic, doesn’t it? But at times, our pouring out is dramatic and loud and emotional. But don’t let that scare you. At times we need to get real with ourselves and get real with God. Tell him exactly how you feel. Respectfully and in awe of what he will do.

But notice what else the verses tell us. They remind us that God is our rock. Our salvation. Our defence. Our strength. Our refuge.

If that doesn’t encourage your heart, I’m not sure what will.

King David, with all his questioning, still knew who God was and often after a pouring out of his heart, he would finish the Psalm with praise and worship and a reminder of who God was and what he meant to him.

Not only is God encouraged when we pour out our hearts to him in prayer and conversation, but he is excited when we remember who he is and what he can do.

I have discovered, that not knowing the ‘why’ pushes me closer to the Lord. It is at these times, the times where God seems silent, that I am drawn to him. I cling to him with every ounce of my being as I know he is my only hope. Nothing that the world has to offer will bring me the peace and joy I need, and I spend many hours on my face seeking him and learning from him.

Look back over your life and remember the times where you were at your lowest and the circumstances were dire and see if they were the times where you felt you had the most growth in your spiritual walk. Were they the seasons you spent more time in prayer and reading the Word? Did you seek out Christian fellowship just a little more? Did you find that with all your questioning, there was a drawing into the presence of God? Did you hold to him more? Speak with him more? Long to be nearer to him?

Would we be bold enough to trade in our ‘why’ for ‘who’?

Should we not instead be asking who? Who is our God? Who is he? What power does he have? Isn’t he the righteous, holy, perfect, all-knowing, ever-loving God, the rock of our salvation, the shelter from the storm, the shepherd of our souls, the Creator, the Saviour?

It’s ‘who’ that really matters, not ‘why’.

We may have our questions, but if we take a minute to stop and think about who God is and what he means to us, we might just hold our tongue and stop questioning and start worshipping.

If we begin to remember past victories and past blessings and how he has brought us through the fire time and time again, then maybe we wouldn’t need to ask so many ‘why’ questions.

Trade in your ‘why’ for a ‘who’.

Train yourself to focus less on the questions, and more on trusting the Lord, despite where you find yourself and the difficulties you may be facing.

Pour your heart out to God regularly, but don’t stay in that position. Stand to your feet and take time to praise him. Praise him for who he is. And give him all the glory for the victories in your life.

 He is the overcomer and with him by your side fears can be chased away, tears wiped dry, unanswered questions fade into insignificance and peace can flood your soul.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

It's out of your hands, you've done all you can do
You've given God the problem, it's no longer up to you
You've prayed the prayer of faith, you're standing on God's truth
While you're waiting on an answer He has a question for you

Is anything too hard for God
Who's got a problem beyond His pow'r to solve
Are there situations He's not the master of
Is anything too hard for God

Only believe trust His word, you'll see
His plans are now unfolding, performing perfectly
It's clear how much He loves you, look at all He's done
For all your questions there is really only One

Is anything too hard for God
Who's got a problem beyond His pow'r to solve
Are there situations He's not the master of
Is anything too hard for God

Are there situations He's not the master of
   Is anything too hard for God                 

 

 

Wait? You Say Wait??

As so often happens, more times than I care to count, God speaks to my heart, encouraging me to share what he’s been teaching me, so I sit down and write in the hopes that others will benefit from what I have learnt, only to find, in the next 24 hours, I am tested on the very thing I’ve written about.

I suppose it’s like praying for patience and the Lord sending trials. It’s unwanted, but necessary.

Well, only yesterday I wrote on the subject of God increasing strength instead of removing the pressure. And yes, once again, I’m being tested.

The pressure is stronger today, the trial harder, the spirit of fear welling up inside and the overwhelming desire to cry buckets of tears in frustration.

But still God encourages me to wait on him. It has definitely been a season of waiting that God has us in at present. Never before have we felt so uncertain of his will and unsure of the next step we need to take. The questions roll off our tongues so easily and the answers lie dormant, hidden from our view.

In working through writing out the book of Ephesians, I had come to chapter 3, and God gave me a promise that happens to be one of my favourites. What a blessing it was to be reminded of it on this very day when everything looked so dark.

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

What a beautiful promise to know that God is able to do so much more than we ask and so much more than we even think! It’s unfathomable that God in his goodness and love, sees us in our troubles and reaches down to bless us and fill our cups to overflowing.

In looking at our current situation, I don’t see how it can be fixed. But I am so glad that God knows all about it and he has the answers. It’s my job to trust and wait on him. The things I know about my God don’t change and his love for me is everlasting, so I know that he has a plan in all this, and he has a way out. I just have to wait on his timing.

I decided to read over some old posts of mine, as I often need to preach to myself once again the things he has showed me in the past. I often need to give myself a stern talking to and remind myself of the beautiful promises in his Word. In my searching, I came across a beautiful poem that I just have to share. I felt as if God and I were having this very conversation. I pray that it will speak to your heart as it has spoken to mine.

Wait

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried.

Quietly, patiently, lovingly, He replied.

I pleaded, and I wept for a clue to my fate,

And the Master so gently said, “Child, you must wait.”

 

“Wait? You say wait??” my indignant reply.

“Lord, I need answers, I need to know why.

Is your hand shortened?  Or have you not heard?

By faith I have asked, and I’m claiming your Word.

 

“My future, and all to which I can relate

Hangs in the balance, and you tell me ‘wait’?

I’m needing a ‘yes’, a go-ahead sign,

Or even a ‘no’, to which I can resign.

 

“And Lord, you have promised that if we believe,

We need but ask, and we shall receive.

And Lord I’ve been asking, and this is my cry:

“I’m weary of asking: I need a reply!”

 

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate

As my Master replied once again, “You must wait.”

So I slumped in my chair; defeated and taut

And grumbled to God; “So I’m waiting, for what?”

 

He seemed then to kneel and His eyes met with mine

And He tenderly said, “I could give you a sign.

I could shake the heavens, darken the sun,

Raise the dead, cause the mountains to run.

 

“All you see I could give, and pleased you would be.

You would have what you want, but you wouldn’t know Me.

You’d not know the depth of My love for each saint;

You’d not know the power that I give to the faint.

 

“You’d not learn to see through clouds of despair;

You’d not learn to trust, just by knowing I’m there.

You’d not know the joy of resting in Me,

When darkness and silence was all you could see.

 

“You would never experience that fullness of love

As the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove.

You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,

But you’d not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

 

“The glow of My comfort late in the night;

The faith that I give when you walk without sight;

The depth that’s beyond getting just what you ask

From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

 

“And you never would know, should your pain quickly flee,

What it means that ‘My grace is sufficient for thee.’

Yes, your dreams for that loved one o’ernight could come true,

But the loss! if you lost what I’m doing in you!

 

“So be silent, my child, and in time you will see

That the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me.

And though oft’ may My answers seem terribly late,

My most precious answer of all….is still…wait.”

                                                                      By Russell Kelfer

 

 

 

God Gives The Strength You Need

“God’s ways of answering his people’s prayers is not by removing the pressure, but by increasing their strength to bear it” D. L. Moody

I came across this quote today while going over some old notes and I realised how very apt it was for my current situation.

We have, as a family, been going through some stressful times of late in regard to our family business and the struggle has been all too real. Never before, in our marriage, have we faced quite the difficulties that have arisen over the past few months.

There has been so much uncertainty and so many questions. We’ve cried out to God and felt like, at times, he was turning a deaf ear to our pleas. We have not understood God’s plans and the way he has orchestrated things that were totally beyond our control. We’ve felt discouraged, frustrated, fearful and anxious. We’ve wondered why he would bring us this far in our business, blessing us beyond measure, only to take it all away in a very short space of time.

Now, I don’t tell you all this to gain your sympathy. No. I tell you all this, relaying the seemingly bad, so I can share with you the overwhelming good.

In reading the quote today, I realised just how true it was.

Over the past weeks, all too often, I prayed for God to relieve the pressure. I prayed for the trial to end, for answers to come, for favourable outcomes to be forthcoming. And yet, despite my prayers and sometimes tears, God seemed stubborn in answering the way I wanted.

Now, we know that God is a righteous and holy God. And he is perfect in every way. So, although he was not answering the way I thought he should, he was giving the answers I needed.

I’ve written numerous articles on the subject of trials and sufferings, so I don’t want to go into that today. But, I want to reiterate what D. L. Moody said in his quote and encourage you to rely on the Lord.

It’s so true that although God doesn’t always choose to remove the pressure, he will always enable us with the strength to bear it. God knows just how much pain we can bear, and he gives us just the right amount of power and strength and energy to cope with it.

As we’ve battled through sickness due to Covid, as we’ve struggled to make business decisions that could make or break us, God was faithful and his presence was near, bringing peace to our troubled souls.

Yes, there were hard days and days we didn’t know what to do, and they’re still ongoing. We are still seeking God’s wisdom in our decisions, and we are still not sure of the next step. We don’t know what the future holds for us, but we do know, and we do have the calm assurance that he is with us and he is in control. He is not removing the pressure at this time, but he is giving us the strength to bear it.

I can attest to the fact that he is a powerful God who grants not only strength, but also peace to his children.

The past 3 weeks, due to unplanned problems, the girls and I have been on our own, running things and holding the fort while Dave is away. It is an amazing thing and definitely, assuredly a God thing, that I have coped with this separation and the stress that it has brought.

The old me would have struggled so much and spent many a tearful, sleepless night, wallowing in my little pity party, hurt, afraid and frustrated at God for his unwanted plans. But, this time, God has done a work in my heart and taught me so much about patience, trust and faith that it has left me astounded at what I could accomplish and what peace I could have in my heart.

It is ALL God’s doing! I take no credit for any of it. I know that only God could have given me the peace and strength. Only God could help me with decisions that needed to be made. Only God could help me rest peacefully at night, despite raging storms (literally) and a giant python visiting our humble abode. Only God could dry my tears and calm my anxious thoughts.

Only God could choose not to remove the pressure, and instead increase the strength needed to bear it.

In hindsight and going forward, I’ve realised that maybe I need to change the way I pray. Maybe what I should be praying is, “God, help my unbelief”. Increase my strength. Give me the enabling only you can give. I need to stop praying, “Remove the pressure, the pain and the trial” and instead ask him to give me some of his power. Not my will, but his.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

God will give us the power we need. He will grant us the spirit of power. We don’t need to have a spirit of fear. And isn’t it beautiful that he says he will give us a sound mind? So much of what we fear is all in our minds. Our thoughts are very controlling things, and we have to be constantly on the watch that we reign in our thoughts and think on the right things.

The Bible tells us that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness. When we are weak, he is strong. He is always strong and yet when we are at our weakest, it is then that his strength is truly revealed and our eyes are opened to his Almighty power as he reaches down and lifts our weary heads, strengthens our tired arms and turns our burdens into blessings.

2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Our current trial is not over, and I know it won’t be the last one, but I’m so glad for the lessons I’ve learnt and am learning, day by day, as God brings his peace to my heart and teaches me, convicts me, rebukes me and moulds me more into his image.

I am a lumpy, muddy, messy, unformed, and ugly piece of clay, but I am being transformed by the Master Potter and it’s in his nail scarred hands that I lay content, submitting to the workings of a masterful and skilful artist, who will do exactly what he knows is best for me.

Lord, give me the strength to bear the pressure you bring and help me to be content with the trials you send, counting it all joy and giving you all the glory!

Psalm 29:11 

The LORD will give strength unto his people;

 the LORD will bless his people with peace.

   Have Thine own way, Lord,  

 Have Thine own way;

Thou art the Potter,

 I am the clay.

Mould me and make me,

 After Thy will,

While I am waiting,

                                                               Yielded and still.      

            

 

Are You Choosing Joy?

James 1:2

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

In the book of James, we find an interesting verse. We are told, when trials come, to ‘count’ it all joy. Did you notice it doesn’t say to ‘feel’ joy? Neither does it say to doubt. To fear. To complain. To be angry. To be discontent. No. The Bible tells us to count it all joy when we face certain trials.

It goes against every fibre of our being to be joyful during trials and suffering. To view a difficult time through the lens of joy is not something that comes as second nature to us. If you’re human, then you are going to struggle with this idea of being joyful during trials. When difficult times arise, we find it hard to be happy in the midst of it. We can’t wait until it’s all over and we’re on the other side. All we crave is escape.

But the Bible is God’s inspired Word, and every word was put there for a reason. The Words of scripture are for our benefit and for our learning. So, for James to tell us to count it all joy, then we are supposed to sit up and take notice.

Too often we view all trials as negative, and we don’t see how joy can exist in hardship. But if the Bible tells us to be joyful in the midst of them, then it must be possible to achieve. But how?

That is the big question I’ve been asking myself over the past few months. How do I experience God’s joy and peace during my times of trial? How do I count it all joy? How do I change my perspective and my attitude, because that’s what it amounts to? A change in perspective and attitude, recognizing that our difficult times are sent by the hand of God.

How do I stay joyful? How do I reorient my way of thinking so that I experience joy instead of sadness, doubt, fear, discontent, anger?

Trials are hard. They are not enjoyable. They are painful, but they exist for a purpose. There is meaning to our trials.

Paul knew something of hardship. He suffered many things at the hands of wicked, ungodly men, in his endeavour to preach the Word. And yet, we find him constantly encouraging his fellow-believers to stay faithful despite their circumstances and he had come to learn the blessing of contentment.

Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

What was it that gave him the ability to be joyful in trials? Was it his upbeat personality? Was it because he was an optimist, glass half full type? No. It was because of the power of Christ. It wasn’t through his own strength that he was able to find joy and peace, but through the power of Jesus Christ. He realised that God supplied the strength needed for those hard times. It was through Christ that he could do all things, including suffering through hardship.

If we’re going to be able to count it all joy, we have to depend wholly and solely on the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only way we will have the endurance to last the distance. It is all of him and none of me. The simple truth is, we can’t make it through our trials alone, Jesus is the key. He is the reason we can endure. He is our hope and peace.

Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy

So, we see that we can be joyful through trials because we have God’s power and strength to rely on. We can rest on the promise that he will be with us, through the valley of the shadow of death, through the dark times and he will make his power available to us and enable us to endure.

Another way we can count it all joy is by recognizing God’s work in our lives as a purifying work and a time where he seeks to grow us in spiritual maturity. I mentioned before that trials have a purpose. That purpose is to help us grow.

James 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Trials are not sent to harm us but to help us. They help work patience into our lives. Now, I don’t know about you, but I could do with a whole lot more of that! I don’t like to pray for it though, because I know how it is God likes to develop patience. Through trials. Unfortunately, there is no easy fix.

That word patience in the Greek has the idea of steadfastness. It’s not a word we use often, but I like to think of it as unshakeable. Immoveable. Not easily rocked. If we develop steadfastness, we become strong in our faith and although the winds may blow, the fires may burn, the waves may crash overhead, we are not easily rocked. We are not shaken in our faith. We are able to stay rejoicing through it all. We can be like that tree by the river. If our roots are down deep, rooted in Christ, we won’t be easily shaken.

Psalm 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

If we are to count it all joy, it will involve a careful counting, a deliberate evaluating of the way we see our trials. We have to change our perspective. It’s not a matter of the emotions, but a matter of faith. We are not told to ‘feel’ joy, but to ‘count’ joy. It’s a matter of the heart and mind. We have to retrain our mind to think properly. It has nothing to do with how we feel physically, it is an act of obedience and a choice we have to make. Will we choose bitterness or joy?

I know, when I put it like that, who wouldn’t choose joy? We all want to be happy, don’t we? But it’s a choice. We have to decide whether we will be joyful. Despite our world coming crashing down around us, will we trust in the Lord and in the knowledge that he is good, he is God, he loves us unconditionally, he is working in our lives to make us more like him, or will we resist him and fight against the trial? Will we crumble under the pressure, or will we stand firm on the rock that is Christ, content in his perfect will, knowing his plans are better?

I wish I could say, along with the Apostle Paul, that I have learned to be content in whatever state I’m in, but I still have a long way to go. I have to make that choice daily. The choice to rejoice in the trial and let God work. The choice to follow blindly along, my hand in his, trusting him to lead and guide me, although the way is dark and I can’t see the purpose in the trial, I need to choose to grow my faith.

And what I find, when I rest in his promises, when I lie submissive under his will, when I stop fighting and struggling against the pressure, the joy begins to come. I’m not instructed to feel joy, I’m told to count joy. If you act in obedience to God’s Word, despite not feeling joy, you will find that slowly and surely, the happiness begins to well up inside you and the joy comes.

What started as a burden, becomes a blessing. Your faith is strengthened. Your relationship with Christ is made stronger. Your endurance level is lengthened. And the next time you go through difficult circumstances, you have the calm assurance that God has done it before, and he’ll do it again!

If he has brought you through one trial, he can bring you through another. And another. And another. God will reward the faithfulness of his children.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Learn to recognize trials for what they are. Lessons from God to produce spiritual growth in your life. Make a conscious effort to remember past victories, lessons learned, progress made and decide to choose joy!

Habakkuk 3:17-18

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Quiet Your Restless Heart

and Wait on the Lord 

Psalm 27:14

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

As I sit here, at my desk, staring blankly at my computer screen, I feel a restlessness inside of me and I fidget, my leg tapping lightly up and down on my chair. I struggle to focus on the words in front of me. I know that God’s Word holds the comfort I need for this very moment and yet it’s a battle to sit still in the presence of the Lord, reading His Word and soaking in all the precious promises I know he has for me.

Every little thing distracts me. A car going by, a bird hopping along the verandah, a helicopter taking off, the beeping of machinery close by, the dog barking. And then there’s the thoughts rattling around in my head. The endless voices that whisper unhelpful lies. Lies about God’s goodness, lies about my own self-worth, and the seeds of doubt begin to well up inside.

Patience has never been one of my strengths and in the last few weeks, it has been sorely tried. And, I’m sorry to say, I have proved once again that it is something that I really need to work on.

I don’t do ‘waiting’ very well at all. If something needs to be done, I want to tackle it straight away. If it needs doing tomorrow, then I want to start it today. If it needs paying, then why not today? If it needs an hour, then isn’t 45 minutes long enough? You get the picture. Anyone out there just like me? Or am I the only one?

In the past couple of weeks, I have been really tested in this area of waiting. And I realised that I needed to learn to do something that I’ve read many times in the Bible. STAND STILL.

Yes, stand still. Hmmm. The standing I can manage. The still, not so much.

One of the most well-known verses in scripture regarding standing still is found in Exodus.

Exodus 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

We all know the story of the Israelites exodus from Egypt and Pharaohs army chasing after them. This verse is found just before the parting of the Red Sea and the almighty miracle that God did to save his people from the Egyptians.

As they come up against the sea and the army is close on their heels, Moses tells the people to stand still. He tells them to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.

Exodus 14:14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

I love the next verse. Moses was probably exasperated and sick of the Israelites fear and whining that he basically told them to shut up! There is so much in this little verse, I wish I could expound on it more, but for now, I want to look at the idea of standing still.

There are quite a few references in the Bible of standing still.

Numbers 9:8 And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you.

Joshua 3:8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.

1 Samuel 12:7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers.

1 Samuel 14:9 If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.

Job 37:14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.

All these verses stress the importance of waiting on God. Standing still. Waiting. Patience. Stillness.

I think the reason I find stillness and waiting so hard is because of a lack of faith. The Bible tells me that if I had faith the size of a mustard seed, mountains would move. But unfortunately, I think my faith is often more like an orchid seed, apparently so small it’s almost dust-like.

In James chapter 1, we learn that we need to let patience work in our lives.

James 1:4 - But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

That word patience here has the idea of endurance and continuance. One Bible dictionary puts it like this:

“…the characteristic of a man who is not swayed from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings.”

Is this the type of patience you exhibit? This is the patience that God wants us to have. There is surrender involved in this, because we have to choose to allow it to have its proper place in our life and the end result is growth and maturity. By waiting patiently, we are able to grow.

We know of Job’s patience. Throughout all his trials and testings, he chose to wait on the Lord. He stood still and made a choice to be patient.

James 5:11 - Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Job was blessed because of his patience, and we know that the end of his story was better than the beginning.

So why is it then that I can’t wait patiently? Why isn’t my faith stronger? Why am I restless and impatient, wanting God’s answers to my problems right now? The struggle is real, and I know I’m not the only one dealing with this at this very moment.

Maybe you’re finding it hard to make ends meet. The bills keep piling up and you’re not sure which one to pay first and which one to leave til later. Maybe God is not healing you from a sickness that you’ve been struggling with for an extended period. Maybe it’s a strained relationship you’re trying to work through. Whatever the case may be and whatever the prayer is, whatever the burden that’s pressing so hard down upon you, rest assured that God knows all about it and is working in the background. He hasn’t forgotten you. You are his child. You are not an orphan. Penniless and alone. He sees you and he knows you and he loves you enough to let you wait. Growth happens in darkness.

I have to consistently remind myself of God’s promises. Daily, I need to go to God’s Word and seek them out and pray over them and claim them. And daily, hourly, even minute by minute, I need to practice waiting. I need to learn to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Because it will come. Maybe not right away, maybe not in my time frame, but it will come.

What do I do while I wait? Do I grumble and complain? Do I fill my days with distraction of every sort, hoping that somehow it will lessen the pain and struggle? Do I fight against it? Do I battle along in my own strength, trying to fix the problem, because I’m tired of waiting on God to do his part?

Sadly, this is what we do quite often. But there is a better way. And it’s not easy. But good comes from difficulty. Blessings come from darkened paths.

The first step is to pray. And when I say pray, I don’t mean only once. No. Pray without ceasing. Pray a lot! Bring your cares to the Lord Jesus and lay them all out for him. He is able to bear them. Let him know what you’re struggling with. Give him all the details. Spare nothing. He can take it.

And while you’re at it, pray for patience. Pray for God to do a transforming work in your heart so that you’re able to surrender to his will, submissively yielding up your rights and letting him take control.

Stop fighting the process and surrender to God’s work in your heart. Let go of any attempt to control the situation and let God use his own timeline.

Secondly, read the Word. Get into the Bible and let the Words of life soak into your mind, your soul and your heart. Reading the Word of God will keep you grounded. It will fill you with hope as you read of others who endured seasons of waiting and God came through, revealing his power in amazing ways. You will realise that you are not alone in your struggle. Read of God’s faithfulness and let it fill your heart with gratitude.

Thirdly, focus on the blessings. It’s hard when you’re in a season of waiting and God seems silent, to count your blessings. When all around us, all we see are difficulties, unanswered prayers, unresolved conflict, unpaid bills, and uncertainty, it’s a struggle to express thankfulness. But it’s so necessary. Gratitude is something that every person needs to improve on.

I find it interesting that even the unsaved world is realising the importance of having a grateful heart. I have seen gratitude journals for sale in large retail stores. Being thankful and actually writing down the blessings in your life on a daily basis will make you a happier person. When we focus on the good in our lives and dial down the negatives, our joy-o-meter rises. When we reach out and help someone in need, we find that suddenly, our own problems don’t seem so big and important anymore.

Now, this was meant to be a short little musing on waiting, but as I’m preaching this to myself, needing a rebuke from the Lord on my lack of faith and restless heart, it has grown a little longer than planned.

There is so much in God’s Word on this subject, and I’ve barely lifted the lid on it. If you’re in a season of waiting and struggling with the standing still, then I encourage you to do some searching on your own. You will find so many beautiful pearls of wisdom in the Word of God. But be warned, you will also be convicted, be rebuked and have your toes stepped on. We all need reminding of the need to wait.

If we can learn to wait patiently, we will be blessed. The trial will pass, the darkness will lift, the answers will come, and the Lord will come through, as he has done, time and time again. He will renew our strength and he will give our tired wings lift once again. He will give us the energy to run, he will raise our weary heads and empower us with his strength.

Isaiah 40:31 - But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

And then we will say along with the Psalmist:

Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

When we practice patience and we stand still in his presence, waiting on him, listening to him and submissively following his leading, he will set our feet on a rock and others will see it and fear and trust in the LORD.

Your waiting may be just the test you need in order to show God’s glory to those around you. The way you are able to patiently wait, through trials and sufferings, trusting God, relying on Him, resting in him, may just be the very thing someone needs to see in order to place their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pray constantly. 

Surrender to God. 

Read the Word. 

Practice gratefulness.

Let your light shine. Don’t hide it under a basket of fear and doubt. Polish it up, put a smile on it, let God’s glory shine so brightly that others will want to know all about your God and his goodness.

Don’t waste your season of waiting. Use it as a time for growth and spiritual renewal. Stand still. Wait and see what God will do.

What’s worth having, is worth waiting for.

God wants to do a work in your heart and it’s worth the wait!   

Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.