Becoming a parent forces you to learn more about God. We gain a deeper understanding of His love for us when we feel love for our children. We gain a deeper understanding of discipline, consequences and all of those matters while teaching our children. Today, I gained a new understanding for why God makes us wait.
In two separate instances, I had to ask both of my children to wait for a minute - maybe, 30 seconds. One was while I was cleaning a table, getting ready to walk to a meeting downtown. I told Asher to wait because I did not have everything lined up yet that I wanted to take with me. It occurred to me, that maybe sometimes God has us waiting in a job, a house, a situation with friends or church until He has everything lined up just the way He wants. And the amazing thing is, we can know that it is for His perfect purpose, for our sanctification and His glory! Romans 8:28 "For all things work together for good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose." Just like Asher did not know the details of why He needed to wait, we often do not know the details of why God is making us wait, but we have this amazing promise that we can cling to.
Then, after the meeting, I asked Cole to wait on the curb while I unlocked the van and opened the doors. He just stood there crying - I think he thought I was going to leave him there! It was darling. I felt so compassionate for him, being so earnest, wishing to come with me, fearful that he would be left alone. I swooped him up, kissed him and told him that I wouldn't leave him, I was just getting everything ready so we could go together. Again, same revelation about God preparing our way for us! How often I am worse than Cole!! I don't cry because I want to go with God, I cry because I want to do what I want to do - which is usually very selfish and fulfills desires that are totally worldly. Cole really wanted to be with me and was genuinely fearful.
The amazing thing is, we never have to doubt that God is going to take us with Him. And He prepares so much for us, more than I could ever write about. Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." It is so comforting to know that when we are following God, He has already prepared the way for us. The details, the plan, the fruit - He's got it all taken care of! This takes such a burden off my shoulders. I often feel a weight of responsibility towards those I pray for or are involved with, but what I learned today gives me a new sense of freedom. I can relax, God has got it covered! I can make plans and pray and go about daily responsibilities knowing that God is working out the fruit in my life for His glory whether or not I fret, whether or not I see it, and that no matter what Satan tries, God can handle it! Does this make you as happy as it makes me??
I hope this is like a breath of fresh air for you. Don't spend time worrying about past decisions, future outcomes or the various possibilities in ministry! Spend time praying, seeking the Lord, finding in His word what He says about who you are to be and what His word says about who He is. God will work out the details more perfectly than you can ever plan. You will still have to do the walking (and often, lots of planning & arranging), but He will do all the guiding & piecing things together in His PERFECT timing, in His PERFECT way - we might as well put a smile on our face and enjoy it!!! And we can enjoy it to the full, trusting that no matter what, His glory will be revealed.
