May 18, 2014

Severe Mercies

May 18, 2014/

Sometimes when I pray and ask the Lord for "patience," I fear that what I am really saying is "Lord, please give me what I want." And that when I pray for "clarity," what my heart is really saying is "Lord, give me what I want now."

September 09, 2012

promises: i will wait.

September 09, 2012/

the theme of "waiting" has been quite prevalent in my life lately, specifically so in the last few months... the Lord is continually working on this area of my heart, and recently my prayers have shifted from "Lord, give me patience" to "Lord, give me clarity and wisdom." tonight, while investing time in Psalms, these particular verses really struck a chord with my soul:

Trust in the Lord, and do good; and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Be still before the Lord and WAIT PATIENTLY FOR HIM; The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand. Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever.The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip. WAIT FOR THE LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you... Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. [Psalm 37:3-5, 7, 23, 24, 27, 30, 31, 34, 37 ESV]

naturally, the "wait patiently" part sticks out boldly in my heart... I feel like I have been in a "waiting room" for years now. but the most encouraging part about these verses to me is not the reminder to wait with patience, but rather the promise that "He will act." what a bold promise! an encouragement mixed with a very real conviction and reminder that I must commit my desires and longings and every day attitude to Him, and then TRUST that His ways are so much better than my ways... and HE WILL ACT. not on my time table, but on His perfect and glorious timeline...I need to remind myself of this daily.... wait patiently on the Lord.... HE WILL ACT.

June 26, 2012

seasonally hidden.

June 26, 2012/

"Life does not sleep - though in winter she retracts all advertisement. And when she does so, she is conserving and preparing for the future.And so it is with us. Seasonally, we too are stripped of visible fruit. Our giftings are hidden; our abilities are underestimated. When previous successes fade and current efforts falter, we can easily mistake our fruitlessness for failure.But such is the rhythm of spiritual life: new growth, fruitfulness, transition, rest... new growth, fruitfulness, transition, rest. Abundance may make us feel more productive, but perhaps emptiness has greater power to strengthen our souls.In spiritual winters, our fullness is thinned so that, undistracted by our giftings, we can focus upon our character. In the absence of anything to measure, we are left with nothing to stare at except for our foundation."

quoted text from "Anonymous: Jesus' hidden years and yours" by Alicia Britt Chole