The Waiting Room: You're NOT Waiting...
Welcome to the first day of The Waiting Room Series! (I'm just a little excited... okay, a lot excited) If you missed the introduction, do check it out.
Perhaps this isn’t the best way to dive into a series, but sometimes it helps to know you are not the only one, to know that this is the way it’s supposed to be, before you find the plan behind it all. So here it is.
We were made to wait.
Modern day success stories are full of waiting.
The Bible is full of waiting.
I love the way John Ortberg puts it: “Biblically, waiting is not just something we have to do until we get what we want. Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be.” Waiting isn’t for torture. Waiting isn’t God’s cruel way of dangling that one thing you want most in front of you and saying “Neener! Neener! You can’t have it.” Waiting isn’t a giant pause button that gets hit over your life. Waiting is for becoming—becoming the woman God wants you to be. Waiting is a tool for refinement in the Master’s hand.
David was anointed king over Israel as a young boy, and no doubt, as he stood surrounded by his older brothers looking at him, perhaps even a bit jealous of him, David wondered at the mystery of it all and a dream was born in his heart. King of Israel. But David didn’t put on a crown and begin ruling that day—he was anointed King. God made his plans known. And David spent 20 years becoming the King of Israel. As he learned to trust God, as he learned to fight, as he married a princess, as he obtained faithful subjects and mighty men of valor… David spent 20 years in the thick of trials (many of those years spent running for his life). David wasn’t waiting to be King. David was becoming King.
You are becoming too.
I love the simple line Ann Voskamp says in her book, One Thousand Gifts, “We see God in rear view mirrors.” It’s hard to see how God is working to make the way out ahead of us. It’s hard to see the way God can use and is using everything. But it’s so easy to look back and see all the ways God was faithful, the way He prepared us for where we are today, the way he put certain people in our path, the way He opened the right doors and closed the wrong ones and how grateful we can be for it.
It’s easy to look at other’s lives, their successes, the way they are where we want to be, and see how they became—see how God faithfully molded and shaped them. We see God in rearview mirrors. But I say, you too are becoming. God is working it out in you. Or do you not know how precious you are to Him? How much He loves you? How He sees the masterpiece in all your flaws? You may want to compare; stop. You may want to be fully arrived; stop. The Master is at work—the artist at the sculpture, the chrysalis for the butterfly…
You aren’t waiting. You are becoming.
I would love to know, what are you “waiting” on? What are the dreams in your heart that you are believing for? I would love to pray with you. {We would love to pray with you… I have a feeling many of the conquering housewives would love to pray with you as we encourage each other through our season of “becoming”} If you would like to be anonymous, I gladly accept anonymous comments... (just be sure to not include a URL if you post anonymously, blogger marks it as spam).
If you like this post, consider subscribing to my feed via feedburner, GFC or email? Don't want to subscribe, that's okay! The Waiting Room posts will be up every Tuesday and Thursday for the month of September. Do you know someone that may need to hear the words spoken here?? Consider sharing this post? My blogging/writing friends, you are welcome to use the buttons in the right column. :)
Looking forward to learning how towait BECOME with you, friends!
xo
Amanda
Perhaps this isn’t the best way to dive into a series, but sometimes it helps to know you are not the only one, to know that this is the way it’s supposed to be, before you find the plan behind it all. So here it is.
We were made to wait.
Modern day success stories are full of waiting.
- The President of the United States must be at least 35 years old to serve. The youngest we have ever had is JFK, and he was 43 at his first Inauguration.
- Nelson Mandela spent 27 in prison before being released and becoming the first democratically elected black president in South Africa.
- Dana Vollmer, 2012 Olympic gold medalist and world record setter in the butterfly, failed to make the team in 2008. She had to wait 4 years to try again, this time able to win gold.
The Bible is full of waiting.
- Abraham waited for a son—his promise from God for a lineage as vast as the stars, till he was old and it was no longer humanly impossible for him to have a child.
- Jacob waited for the woman he loved—for 14 years while working hard for a deceitful future father-in-law.
- Joseph waited for his dreams to take place—while being sold into slavery, working as a servant and later a prisoner.
- The Israelites waited for a redeemer to lead them out of the bonds of slavery in Egypt.
- The Israelites waited 80 years in the wilderness before getting to their Promised Land.
- Caleb waited over 40 years to receive his promise—he waited with grumblers and complainers when he was one of two who actually got it right, who actually trusted God.
- Hannah waited for a child—while being mocked for her barrenness.
- David waited around 20 years to be King over all Israel.
- Jesus waited till he was 30 to begin his ministry.
I love the way John Ortberg puts it: “Biblically, waiting is not just something we have to do until we get what we want. Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be.” Waiting isn’t for torture. Waiting isn’t God’s cruel way of dangling that one thing you want most in front of you and saying “Neener! Neener! You can’t have it.” Waiting isn’t a giant pause button that gets hit over your life. Waiting is for becoming—becoming the woman God wants you to be. Waiting is a tool for refinement in the Master’s hand.
David was anointed king over Israel as a young boy, and no doubt, as he stood surrounded by his older brothers looking at him, perhaps even a bit jealous of him, David wondered at the mystery of it all and a dream was born in his heart. King of Israel. But David didn’t put on a crown and begin ruling that day—he was anointed King. God made his plans known. And David spent 20 years becoming the King of Israel. As he learned to trust God, as he learned to fight, as he married a princess, as he obtained faithful subjects and mighty men of valor… David spent 20 years in the thick of trials (many of those years spent running for his life). David wasn’t waiting to be King. David was becoming King.
You are becoming too.
I love the simple line Ann Voskamp says in her book, One Thousand Gifts, “We see God in rear view mirrors.” It’s hard to see how God is working to make the way out ahead of us. It’s hard to see the way God can use and is using everything. But it’s so easy to look back and see all the ways God was faithful, the way He prepared us for where we are today, the way he put certain people in our path, the way He opened the right doors and closed the wrong ones and how grateful we can be for it.
It’s easy to look at other’s lives, their successes, the way they are where we want to be, and see how they became—see how God faithfully molded and shaped them. We see God in rearview mirrors. But I say, you too are becoming. God is working it out in you. Or do you not know how precious you are to Him? How much He loves you? How He sees the masterpiece in all your flaws? You may want to compare; stop. You may want to be fully arrived; stop. The Master is at work—the artist at the sculpture, the chrysalis for the butterfly…
You aren’t waiting. You are becoming.
I would love to know, what are you “waiting” on? What are the dreams in your heart that you are believing for? I would love to pray with you. {We would love to pray with you… I have a feeling many of the conquering housewives would love to pray with you as we encourage each other through our season of “becoming”} If you would like to be anonymous, I gladly accept anonymous comments... (just be sure to not include a URL if you post anonymously, blogger marks it as spam).
If you like this post, consider subscribing to my feed via feedburner, GFC or email? Don't want to subscribe, that's okay! The Waiting Room posts will be up every Tuesday and Thursday for the month of September. Do you know someone that may need to hear the words spoken here?? Consider sharing this post? My blogging/writing friends, you are welcome to use the buttons in the right column. :)
Looking forward to learning how to
xo
Amanda