Namesake Week 1 Day 4: Waiting On God

Today's scripture Genesis 18:15, Genesis 8:6-12, 1 Samuel 1:1-22 and Luke 2:25-35

Additional reading about waiting Psalm 27:14, Psalm 130:5-7 and Isaiah 40:31

In this chapter Jessica talks about her trials to conceive a child, all the doctor appointments, tests, and waiting. I can completely understand it has been three long years of trying to get a diagnosis and treatment for my lower back pain and come to find out just this year that I also have MS (Multiple Sclerosis). That phrase "Hurry up and wait" is exactly how things have gone these few years and it has been one of the most trying times in my life. Just like Abraham and Sarah I have spent countless hours of worry, waiting, hoping, praying and praying some more.

Letting God be in control and trusting him can be the hardest thing we have to do sometimes. God's promise of "I Will" (from chapter 3) means that God is responsible and He has our lives in His hands, and not in our own. Learning how to wait well is a really important skill because we will always be waiting on or for something. Waiting on the blessings can sometimes be a blessing in disguise because we have to rely on God more than ever.

Have thin own way, Lord! Have thine own way!

Thou art the potter, I am the clay.

Mold me and make me after they will,

while I am waiting, yielding and still.

                                           -Adelaide A Pollard

I am a control freak often times, I try to think of and plan for everything. I worry, over analyse, and try to plan out my own future. All of this OCD craziness ends of making me stressed and in the end disappointed. Waiting strips us of the illusion that we are the ones who make things happen and it forces us to acknowledge that God is the one in control. We know that God has dreams and has made us promises, but he never delivers a timeline. We must learn to trust in God's plan of "I Will" and simply wait. We have to release control to God. In the last week of this home buying situation I prayed and gave all the stress and worry over to God. 

God, I give it all up to you. I know this is not in my control. If its your will that my family and I get this house then please let it be. Please Lord take away our stress and worry. Help us find comfort in the fact that you have your hands in this and be satisfied with the results. I know that if its not in your will you will help us find our way. Amen

If we hope and search for God He will listen, answer and turn to us. He will not leave us alone for He hears our cries the most when we truly need His help. All of the waiting in the past three years has molded me. Its made me appreciate and be more thankful for what I have. It has made my relationships with everyone stronger and richer, and although I'm still learning - it has been me understand that I have to slow down. 

I have made a promise over the next few weeks that when I am in a situation of waiting that I will put down my phone, turn off the TV, or whatever else is a distraction and look around. Listen, talk to people and fully be present in the waiting. I'm sure there is a message or lesson that can be found in the waiting, otherwise wouldn't God just make what I'm waiting for instantly happen?