I shared at the end of June, that I was taking the month of July off from writing to spend time in prayer, seeking guidance and direction for the coming months. Honestly, I had been feeling restless and felt like maybe I was supposed to be doing something new…I just didn’t have a clue what that “new” thing was!
So, my mowing time these past weeks was spent praying and asking for direction. I prayed and prayed and prayed…but heard lots of silence. No writing in the sky…no lightbulb moment…no big spiritual revelations. Finally, the last time I mowed, I sensed Him saying, “Not yet LuAnn. Wait.” I guess that was an answer…but not the one I wanted.
How do you do when the Lord’s answer is “wait”? Hopefully you are better than me, because I wouldn’t win an award for waiting patiently. I always feel like action is necessary to follow His will and so patiently waiting is just a huge waste of time. I think I often feel like the Lord needs my help to get something accomplished and I’m probably mistaken about that. He needs my obedience…He doesn’t really need my help. But He does allow me the privilege of having a role in seeing something come to fruition…because He loves me that much.
It’s similar to how it was when our children were growing up. There were many tasks around the house that could be accomplished easier and much quicker if I just did them myself. I didn’t need any help from them to get certain jobs done, but because I loved them and wanted a closer relationship with them, I would sometimes ask them to help me. Those times brought us closer as we worked side by side to see our task completed. It’s the same way with our Jesus. He is more than capable of doing everything himself, but because He wants a closer relationship with us, He offers us opportunities to work side by side with Him. What a privilege!
In my devotions this past week I read these words, “We must be willing at every moment to surrender to His will. The Father is at work, through the Spirit, to bring the completed work of Christ to the world. He knows where workers are needed and sends them to these places. Even though it may seem that going there will lead to financial loss or greater family struggles, we are to rejoice because we have confidence in what the Father is doing. With all humility, we should accept the portion which God has prepared for us. Glorify His name by believing His promises for your spouse and children. No matter what happens, we can have complete confidence that the Father is directing our lives, and great joy can be found in submitting to His will. Nothing else will ever bring the true satisfaction that our souls are longing for” (from Appointed to Bear Fruit).
Yes, it comes down to surrendering to His will in every moment and I’m pretty sure that means every moment of waiting. Maybe during this time, He has more pruning to do in me so that I am prepared for whatever lies ahead. Ouch. That’s a scary thought J
Are you also in a time of waiting? If so, you and I can have complete confidence knowing that He is working out His perfect plan behind the scenes. And when everything is in place…at just the right time…He will invite us to work with Him, side by side, to see His plan come to fruition. For now we will have joy, knowing that even as we wait, He will never leave our side!
But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.”
John 5:17
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
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