Learn to enjoy the wait

Yeah, right! I know it’s all about the attitude of Christ – blah, blah, blah…isn’t that exactly how we feel at times?

On Christ the solid rock I stand? If I were standing on that solid rock there would be no despair of sinking sand. We live in a very fast-paced life of go-go-go. If we are not actively contributing, producing, or working in some way we are lazy. Work hard so…you can play hard. No time for rocking chairs in this culture; and when you do become useless to this society don’t worry; our society will stick you in a nice retirement home that is neither nice, clean, nor comforting. I see this all around me everyday, so the question comes – “ How do I live to make a difference?”

Just maybe it starts with ‘enjoy the wait’! Hmmm…OK, something to think about. How many times have I secretly wished for time to do nothing? Take a walk, embrace God’s beauty, be in the moment, do the thing my heart desires, really savor how incredibly precious this gift of life really is.  God knit us in the womb, breathed life into our nostrils. He gave us gifts and abilities and we have no problem using them to meet our needs and our wants. Satan’s lure is indeed alive and well. We find again and again we have slipped off that solid rock into sinking sand with our agenda and not God’s. Despair overwhelms us until we fall prostrate before our God and we will not know the hand that can raise us up if we never get to the end of ourselves. Only then will we see how glorious the wait is! We are like children throwing a tantrum and God is not turning a blind eye – He is letting us exhaust ourselves and when the heaving subsides we will feel His hand, the loving hand of a tender Father, secure and everlasting. The delight of our despair is knowing that in our flesh dwelleth no good thing – Oswald Chambers.

Delight of despair? Doesn’t sound right. How can one have delight of despair and can that help me to learn to enjoy the wait? Do I have to grow old and weak to understand and relinquish my own selfish agenda to God? I know of a few who seemed to delight in God’s agenda for a large part of their lives. Billy Graham, Mother Teresa,
Brother Lawrence, Oswald Chambers, Henri Nouwen, on and on. So, no, we don’t have to be old and weak but sadly many of us will be. Even the most saintly of people were still mere men and had their struggles. The end of our despair will look different for all of us but the conclusion will be the same – in our flesh dwelleth no good thing. We must accept and delight in this, knowing we are saved from own deep despair and we cannot know this if we are not focused on the salvation we have received from our Lord and Savior, the promise of a Father Who loves us and Who is there all along to lift us up when we are receptive and ready to enjoy the wait. It is no longer about any of our own desires that are only filled with despair. The waiting becomes beautiful, peaceful, restful, without condemnation and it will be well with our souls. We will be given a new strength - not of human origin but a spiritual strength. Blessed are those whose hope is in the Lord and not the world. Yes, our strength will be renewed and we will run and not get weary. Let us wait for the best and not settle for exhausting ourselves for things of this world that are destined to perish. Boy, am I ready for that!

Heavenly Father, open our eyes so we might see visions of eternity. Let us wait upon the Lord with great joy and anticipation. Give to us the single desire of You so we may be well equipped for Your good work alone. May we walk by faith and not by sight. Let us ask and receive according to Your good and Holy will. I pray these things in Your Son Jesus’ name. Amen.

Love to all in Christ Jesus    c : )

O victory in Jesus, My Savior, forever. He sought me and bought me With His redeeming blood;