WAITING

Do you sometimes feel as though you are just waiting? Do you not feel God's presence even though you are reading your bible and praying everyday? Are you facing something difficult and feel as if you are all along? In my hardships and times where I feel like there is no end to the heartache, the Lord was asking me to show what trust is by waiting. "Okay God I trust you, can this be over now?" No because He wants us to find rest in Him, not when everything is going well. Through the last few years I have learned that practicing this really makes you stronger. Waiting may be God's will for you right now so that you can grow closer to Him and He can make you stronger! So rest and be thankful when He brings you though times like these.

I laid it down in silence,
This work of mine,
And took what had been sent me--
A resting time.
The Master's voice had called me
To rest apart;
"Apart with Jesus only,"
Echoed my heart.

I took the rest and stillness
From His own Hand,
And felt this present illness
Was what He planned.
How often we choose labor,
When He says "Rest"--
Our ways are blind and crooked;
His way is best.

The work Himself has given,
He will complete.
There may be other errands
For tired feet;
There may be other duties
For tired hands,
The present, is obedience
To His commands.

There is a blessed resting
In lying still,
In letting His hand mold us,
Just as He will.
His work must be completed.
His lesson set;
He is the higher Workman:
Do not forget!

It is not only "working."
We must be trained;
And Jesus "learnt" obedience,
Through suffering gained.
For us, His yoke is easy,
His burden light.
His discipline most needful,
And all is right.

We are but under-workmen;
They never choose
If this tool or if that one
Their hands shall use.
In working or in waiting
May we fulfill
Not ours at all, but only
The Master's will!
--Selected

All thing God works out for the good of those who love Him. Romans 8:28

So since my last post a lot has happened. Mike was still unemployed and i went on disability early and had Mason November 2, 2009. Through that time we lived on very little money and did our best to trust God to provide. As the months went on He showed himself that He is faithful! Even though we had no idea how the bills were going to be paid, God gave us peace because we new that we were being taken care of. Through this hardship God taught us so many things. For one, to be smart with money and get of debt!!! Two, to always trust in Him no matter what, with Him he will never give us more than we can handle. Three, we learned to love each other the way God wants us to! So as of last week (April 2nd) Mike got a job working at the Penny Saver doing web design. Praise the Lord. And after I had Mason I was let go from my job and is blessed to stay home with Him and collect unemployment! Praise the Lord again!!! So here is a poem that I came across that made me think of my situation and how God made all things good for those who love Him.

In a factory building there are wheels and gearings,

There are cranks and pulleys, belt either tight or slack—

Some are whirling swiftly, some are turning slowly,

Some are thrusting forward, some are pulling back;

Some are smooth and silent, some are rough and noisy,

Pounding, rattling, clanking, moving with a jerk;

***

In a wild confusion in a seeming chaos,

Lifting, pushing, driving—but they do their work.

From the mightiest lever to the tiniest pinion,

All things move together for the purpose planned;

And behind the working is a mind controlling,

And a force directing, and a guiding hand.

***

So all things are working for the Lord’s beloved;

Some things might be hurtful if alone they stood;

Some might seem to hinder; some might draw us backward;

But they work together, and they work for good,

All the thwarted longings, all the stern denials,

All the contradictions, hard to understand.

And the force that holds them, speeds them and retards them,

Stops and starts and guides them—is our Father’s hand.
Annie Johnson Flint