Restless. This isn’t a word that usually has a positive connotation. Other words which can be used in place of it are uneasy, ill at ease, fidgety, edgy, on edge, tense, nervous, agitated, anxious, keyed up, apprehensive, unquiet, impatient, sleepless, wakeful, insomniac, fitful, broken, disturbed, troubled, unsettled, uncomfortable, watchful, worked up, tossing and turning. None of these words paint a picture of something that is pleasant.
But there have been times in my life when some of these words describe how I feel because there are periods when my spirit just isn’t settled. Times when I feel like God is preparing me for something new, but since I have no clue what that “new” is…I become restless. And, unfortunately, during those times I often hear these words from God, “Not yet LuAnn. Wait.” UGH.
How do you react 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 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 which 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!
I once 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 and feeling restless. 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 😳
“But me, I’m not giving up.
I’m sticking around to see what God will do.
I’m waiting for God to make things right.
I’m counting on God to listen to me.”
Micah 7:7 (The Message)
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