Waiting

The thought occurred to me during church this morning as I heard some lyrics to a song that struck me, (and I will share with you later) that we as people are really always "waiting" for something. The things change, like: waiting for the right person to come along whom you shall marry, then your waiting for the right job, waiting for test results, waiting for a baby, waiting for the baby to be born, and of course, my present trial, waiting to be well again.
But with all of this waiting it has made me think, "is there ever a time when we are not waiting," and then "what are we doing with our hearts/feelings/emotions while we wait?
Each waiting trial holds so many lessons for us to learn, and the big thing that occurred to me today, is this: while you wait, people watch. And as a believer, what are people seeing in you while you wait? While I wait? Has my actions, attitudes and words displayed a heart rooted in the faithful hope in Christ, regardless of what I am going through? Not really.
But today, I felt a message of hope as I listened to the sermon taken from Ephes. 1 as Paul is speaking to a group of people who really really needed to be encouraged in their faith. He talked about how they were doing well! They were rooted in Christ! And to keep up the good fight...
They were waiting for stuff too, they were waiting for His promises to be fulfilled to them and they were needing to be encouraged and prayed for, this is what Paul did for them.
I will admit, I have been really discouraged lately...this sickness day and night has become so tiresome, and I began to feel as though I was loosing myself to this waiting.. and that is not what I want for myself. Nor is it what God wants for me. I know He knows that my trial is hard, and I know that it's His strength that sustains me, but I do not have to give into the temptation to despair as I wait. There is purpose in the waiting. Here is what I have found:
with each new trial, is a new experience, and new people who "pop" into your life and encourage you, strengthen you, grow you, and nourish you in your weakness because why? They too have been through a similar trial, and now they are using their pain for God's glory. Bingo.
My pain, can be used for God's glory. And isn't that the purpose of our existence?
My husband and I were having this conversation last night that to admit that our pains of waiting for trial to end are incredibly difficult and I made the comment that I have seen people (and you know who you are) that have done such sweet things for me through my pregnancy sickness because they too went though what I have. The days laying on the floor, and the nights crying myself to sleep because of sickness that never ceases, they did that too, and now they are coming along side me, encouraging me, and God turns something that the enemy intended for evil, into good, and brings glory to His name through these moments of encouragement. Because others were obedient in using their past pains and trials for present good, my good, and His good!
This brings purpose to pain does it not? To waiting? To trials? It does for me. And trust me friends, in trial, we need purpose or we grow faint in moments.
The way we make in through the waiting time is on His strength, and once we are out, we take what was bad, and use it for good. That is a message rooted in the hope of Christ, and only Christ.
SO what is it my friend that you are waiting for? Either waiting for it to begin, or waiting for it to end, or waiting for strength to endure...have you had a need for purpose in your trial? Here is your purpose...
If you have a faith in Christ, this I pray will inspire you, and if you have not yet met this Christ that I speak so much about, find a Bible, open it up and start to discover what I am sharing with you. This message of hope will help you live a life that is full of purpose rather than despair, hope rather than sadness, and peace instead of turmoil. Despair, sadness and turmoil are three things that usually accompany human trials when we do them on our own and in our strength, trust me, I tried that route, and it stinks.
I am learning this as I go, and what I learn, I pray encourages all of you.
These are lyrics to the song that we sang this morning that hit home for me, and I pray they help to give purpose to your waiting as they did for me..
"And as I wait, rise up like the eagles, and I will soar with you as you will lead me on, in the power of your love."
We will be lead on in the power of His love so that we can soar as eagles, even as we wait.