trust

Be Patient

Sometimes we long for things to come to us-here and now. We suffer in the waiting and want to give up.I think about the times I have wanted to give up. Sometimes it’s just because I am physically, spiritually or emotionally tired. Other times that I have wanted to give up, as though I was disappointed with God and behaving like an angry child. “I’m quitting. Nope. Not doing it. All done. I give up. Sorry God. Game over.”

Have you ever had that kind of conversation with God?

Here are some thoughts to help you get through your season of waiting:

1. Step away from whatever it is that is causing you to feel hopeless or overwhelmed.

2. Rest your body. Get the sleep you need to help your body restore itself.

3. Pray your way through the situation. Keep praying.

4. Recite scripture that gives you hope in God’s promises. Write them down, keep them in your purse or a place that you will see them as a reminder that God is at work.

5. Give praise for prayers already answered.

The best is yet to come. Be patient.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12

If you are struggling with a season of waiting, perhaps you would like to work through one or two of my workbooks:

You can also join a more private conversation about hope over on my Patreon page, where I post several times per week on CHOOSING HOPE… because sometimes we just need to hear it from someone else. Amen?

In all things, choose hope. Remain steadfast, sweet friends.

xoxoxo.

When you know that it is time for a change, how do you handle it? Do you jump right in or do you take time to mull it over and see how it settles with you? Do you pray and listen for God’s voice to answer you before you take a leap? Doing things differently than you have done them in the past is sometimes intimidating. We grow comfortable in the patterns of our daily lives and the way things are, even if they are not serving us or God anymore. Even if they are not serving God anymore…we hold on because we have settled into being lukewarm, but God says,

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26:3

Perfect peace is found when we abandon the fear that keeps us holding onto things that are no longer working. Fear says, “I will hold you close and not let you go because if I let you go...” but perfect trust says, “I will let go and let God. I trust that He will supply my needs and care for me in this area of my life.” Peace is derived from trust. If we have no trust, we have no peace.

But what about those hard places? How do we trust in the hard places? When we feel afraid, we simply open our hands and pour out all of the fear. Palms to God. “I am yours. I empty myself to you, Lord.” Perfect peace says, “For my yoke is easy and the burden is light.” Matthew 11:30

Are you holding onto something that keeps you in a lukewarm place? I’ve been there, in the lukewarm. We either have to give up or give in and surrender. When we hold things so closely to us, it’s as if we think we can control things and yet, letting loose is so liberating. The God of mercy, hope and grace invites you to open your palms. He is all-knowing, all-powerful and has a hope and a future for you.

When we sense that it is time to do things differently, perhaps it is an opportunity for something new to be born–something beautiful that God put inside of you that He wants to bring to life. When we trust and lean will take us to new levels. Perhaps it is time to put to rest the things that have kept you lukewarm because a lukewarm spirit has no life or nourishment.

He died on the cross, nail scarred hands that we might trust. He bore our brokenness so that we might not carry it with us or hold it so tightly…because being afraid to do things differently and allowing our spirit to become lukewarm says that He is not in us. Christ did things differently. His life was different. His ministry was different. He was passionate and jumped right in. He was not lukewarm. Perfect peace is found when we abandon the fear that keeps us holding onto things that are no longer working.