Monday, April 16, 2007

God Waits

It has been over year since I started the whole Journeyman process. So much has happened since I took that initial step into the unknown. From the first day of the process, through the three stages of the written application, finally going to the screening conference to find out what job I was going to do, and then going through two months of orientation there has been a lot of time to think this through. A lot of waiting.
In all reality much of life is waiting. Yet have we not lost the mentality that “good things come to those who wait?” In this corporate America of fast food, high speed internet, and instant messaging there is little room for any idea of waiting. The expectation is that if we can’t have it now it is not worth having. We use this same approach with God in how we spend time with Him. As we pray we expect immediate results, visible results. Or when difficult times arrive we fail to see the growth that comes through trials and tribulations. We suffer because we don’t know what longsuffering is.
The toughest time for me is when I am at a place that I don’t have a direct word from God. I am in a pickle between two different roads and I rush to go down one without really waiting on God to reveal to me what His will is. I have learned so much over the past year through this great waiting period. Going from one event to another, always in anxious expectation of the next season in life I miss what I am experiencing in the here and now, which is my fellowship with Christ. He is always present, always here with me, and what greater privilege is there than to enjoy Him?
Isaiah 30:18 says, “Blessed are all those who wait on Him.” I took this as my personal verse for the longest time, because of the whole blessing factor. But I truly missed what this was actually saying. If we wait on God it’s not that we get a blessing as a reward, but that the actual process of waiting is the blessing. When we wait on God, we show that we are truly trusting God, making Him our trust. Waiting is trusting. When this happens we depend so much on God that we don’t limit God in what He will do in our lives.
Looking back on this verse one thing that I looked over that is so essential in our relationship with God is the first part of the verse. “Therefore, the Lord waits to be gracious to you.” At first glance this seems that we should just expect blessings at any second because of God’s eagerness to bless. What I failed to realize is that God is waiting for me. For me it is sometimes hard to imagine God’s patience. His patience with my whole life in my sin, my walk, and my calling. I felt a strong call to missions when I was fourteen but I ran away from that calling. It wasn’t until a year ago that I took up the path that God had planned for me. God has had this beautiful plan for my life, blessings indescribable, but I ran to what I thought were greener pastures, safer pastures. God waited and waited to be Gracious to me, He waited for me to respond, for me to obey. He patiently allowed me to run from my calling, and even led me to a cave where wind, earthquakes, and fire passed, yet spoke to me in a still small voice, asking me what I was doing there and why I wasn’t where He wanted me to be.
God is so gracious, and is eager to bless us, but many times it is we who have to act in loving obedience. As I have said I have waited for this moment for about a year now, where I will be headed overseas to fulfill my calling. God has been waiting since the foundation of the world. What I have found that many a time when I thought I was waiting on God, it was God who was waiting on me.

10 comments:

Steph said...

Lifting you and Brock up as you go...
And wanted to say thanks for your eloquent post - needed to hear that for myself! So thank you!
Safe travels and 'extreming'!

Take care,
Steph

Matt said...

what a timely post i needed to hear...good words man. I'll be praying for u extra hard today. Miss ya bro.

Matthew said...

Echo the present sentiments! Congrats on joining the other side of the world! It is a great place to be as long as you are with Father!

They call me Jamis said...

Love you bro. miss you bro. will definitely see you later bro.

firework said...

Well said, Graham. Just what I needed to hear right now too. Hope you're doing well. I am safe and sound in the jungles of France. :)

Sarah Dean said...

i'm glad we are friends. =) i want to echo matt and amy...i needed to hear that. thanks friend.

The Helgren Family said...

Graham
Continue to cling and ABIDE in Him. You are being lifted up daily! Enjoy and know that a family in Zambia is praying for you.
Blessings
The Helgrenfam

Anonymous said...

What a great blessing to serve the Most High God. As I read your blog each day I am reminded of His power and grace in our lives. Thanks for challenging my walk, thanks for walking by faith, thanks for sharing your intimacy with the Father so others might be warmed by the fire!

We are praying daily

Randy

david lee said...

Hey Graham,

This is David Lee from the other side of the world. Almost unbelievable that we're finally where we're supposed to be, huh? Six months later...

Hit me up at gigatt@gmail.com when you have internet.

-D

Matt said...

grahamuel... u alive man? I hope all is well man.. im praying for you, and will continue too. miss u homie. can't wait til you come see me in Ecuador! Stay strong brotha...