We all have things we want. Things we long for. Many of those things are God given desires that I believe He wants to fulfill. We want to marry, have kids, reconcile broken relationships, have peace in our homes and lives, to be missionaries, or we just want to be closer to Jesus. The longings in our heart are the things that drive us, but they can also derail us. I can remember when I was waiting for Osmel, crying out to the Lord on a daily basis... quoting scripture to Him- and reminding Him that a hope deferred makes a heart sick. I would tell Him how my heart was sick-- but still, I had to wait.
I can't say that waiting is easy, it never is. But when I was closer to Jesus, it was EASIER. I found that in the waiting, the desperation of my heart caused me to seek Jesus all the more. It caused me to run to Him and cry out to Him- some days it was minute by minute!
I had to teach myself how to take my thougths captive to Him (that is- every thought). The thoughts that were driving me to depression and grief over my circumstances had to go. They needed to be replaced with thoughts of things that were true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good repute. I would take each one of those things and I would think of how Jesus fit those qualities. How is Jesus pure? How is He lovely? and as I would use that to worship Him, it would calm my heart and cure the sickness that was there.
I also thought if I could convince Jesus to get me through the tough times faster or that I had waited long enough, that somehow I would be able to outsmart the Lord into giving me what I wanted when I wanted it. Skewed thinking I know, but what it did do, is drive me to God's Word. Searching through and examining the promises of God looking for ways that God could, would, or should bring them to pass in my life. This is manipulative in motive, but in actuality, - it had profoundly wonderful rewards! It is never a bad thing to know and understand the promises of God. And it was me that was changed.
I am still waiting on God. I confess, I don't do it as well as I have done it in the past. But to those of us waiting for God to bring about something- I encourage us all, to take our heart aches, our yearnings, and our thoughts to Jesus. He WILL bring about the desires in His time, and in the meantime, He will make you more like Him. And best of all, there really is not time that is better than His time!
I can't say that waiting is easy, it never is. But when I was closer to Jesus, it was EASIER. I found that in the waiting, the desperation of my heart caused me to seek Jesus all the more. It caused me to run to Him and cry out to Him- some days it was minute by minute!
I had to teach myself how to take my thougths captive to Him (that is- every thought). The thoughts that were driving me to depression and grief over my circumstances had to go. They needed to be replaced with thoughts of things that were true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good repute. I would take each one of those things and I would think of how Jesus fit those qualities. How is Jesus pure? How is He lovely? and as I would use that to worship Him, it would calm my heart and cure the sickness that was there.
I also thought if I could convince Jesus to get me through the tough times faster or that I had waited long enough, that somehow I would be able to outsmart the Lord into giving me what I wanted when I wanted it. Skewed thinking I know, but what it did do, is drive me to God's Word. Searching through and examining the promises of God looking for ways that God could, would, or should bring them to pass in my life. This is manipulative in motive, but in actuality, - it had profoundly wonderful rewards! It is never a bad thing to know and understand the promises of God. And it was me that was changed.
I am still waiting on God. I confess, I don't do it as well as I have done it in the past. But to those of us waiting for God to bring about something- I encourage us all, to take our heart aches, our yearnings, and our thoughts to Jesus. He WILL bring about the desires in His time, and in the meantime, He will make you more like Him. And best of all, there really is not time that is better than His time!
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