Do you enjoy waiting in lines at the grocery store or the mall? What about waiting in traffic?
Or, on a more serious note, how do you feel when you’re waiting for test results from the doctor?
Let’s face it: waiting–in big or small circumstances–can be hard. And I’ll be the first to admit, I’ve never been much good at it. I’m not the most patient person in the world. I like to take action and get results. I like to plan, and see the plan carried out. And sometimes, I forget that it’s God’s plan for my life that matters.
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The song, Praise You in This Storm, by Casting Crowns, always chokes me up…
“I was sure by now
that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day,
but once again,
I say “Amen”,
and it’s still raining…â€
Not too long ago, I wrote a devotion about control and how awesome it is to surrender control to God.
But what if you do that and it feels like nothing gets better? What if, like it says in the song, it’s “still rainingâ?
There have been times I’ve witnessed people going through extreme hardship or tragedy and I’ve thought to myself, “if I was going through that, would I still trust God as much as I do now?â€
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“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.†Zechariah 4:10 NLT
Now that’s a verse I need to keep in the front of my mind.
Because, as someone who likes to see things get done, and see them get done quickly, I’m not always the most patient person. And I don’t always appreciate the start of something, no matter how great it turns out in the end.
When I set goals—whether personal or related to my career–I tend to be very focused on the end result. And sometimes I forget that so much of life is about the journey.
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Not long ago, I was out running errands with my kids. As I drove along, they rough-housed in the back seat of the car, tickling each other and wrestling. Even though they were both cracking up, I knew from previous experience that if they got too rowdy, someone would end up hurt.
“You guys need to settle down back there,†I warned them, “Or someone’s going to get hurt.â€
And sure enough, within the next minute, my son was crying.
He’d gotten poked in the eye by accident.
If only they’d listened to my warning, I thought.
Even though to them, it might’ve sounded like I just wanted to stop the fun, really, I warned them for their own good.
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Are you bursting with thanks and praise right now? Are you running around filled with joy, telling everyone about all the good things God has done for you?
Or does that sound pretty far-fetched because right now you’re struggling?
Things are tough for many people these days…financially, with the recent hurricanes, and with all the other things going on in our world. When times get difficult, it can be easy to feel down.
And it’s during those times we need God the most. Because He can provide just the encouragement we need.
In the book of Psalms, David frequently cries out to God– sometimes with frustration, sometimes with anger, but always with honesty.
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Have you ever had a hard time sleeping? Have you ever lay awake at night, tossing and turning and staring at the ceiling?
Whether it’s brought on by things like worry, too much caffeine, little kids keeping you up, or sickness, everyone has a sleepless night now and then.
Earlier this year, I went through a period of several sleepless nights in a row, along with migraines. I’d never experienced either before, and it left me discouraged and wondering if I’d ever feel “normal†again.
Those nights were hard. My husband was on a business trip and it seemed like morning would never come.
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When people hear your name, what kind of person do they think of? Someone who is compassionate? Kind? Someone who cares?
Or do other descriptions come to mind…
Like someone who is impatient? Judgmental? Or selfish?
It can be sobering to stop and think about what our name means to others. In Proverbs 22:1, it says,
“A good name is to be chosen above great riches.â€
The way we live our lives–the things we say and do—affects others, whether we realize it or not. And it especially affects our kids.
I love Nichole Nordeman’s song, Legacy, and how she says…
“I want to leave a legacy.
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Last week, I spent some time cleaning out my daughter’s room, getting ready for the school year. It was great to sort through her things and find many items we could bag up and give away. I love how getting rid of stuff can leave you feeling free and light.
And that’s especially true if that stuff is the baggage inside our own hearts.
How many of us walk around with “bags†full of anger? Or how about guilt and shame? Or regret and resentment?
That’s the kind of load that can leave us feeling discouraged. It can hold us back and cause us to miss out on opportunities, and joys, and life.
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