Waiting on God

I must admit I really do hate to wait. It seems like such a waste of time. Think of all we could accomplish with the time we spend waiting. We live in a fast paced, instant gratification world with information overload. We are surrounded by noise and activity. I think our world makes waiting more difficult for most of us.

Have you ever wanted to tell people to hurry up and move along or give them a little push? Have you ever been tempted to tell God to hurry up, to get a move on, that time's a'wasting? I don't notice that He ever seems to get in a rush. Pastor Ron Dunn said, "God is never late, but He certainly misses a lot of good opportunities to be early."

If we want to be successful, we must do the right thing in the right way AT THE RIGHT TIME. And the right time is always God's time. Psalm 27:14 exhorts us, "WAIT FOR THE LORD; be strong and take heart and WAIT FOR THE LORD."

Father, may I exercise patience and wait for Your timing in my life. May I not get in a hurry and try to run ahead and do things in my own strength. May I stay right in step with You. Amen.

Life's Little Frustrations

Wait in line at the grocery store.

At red lights I must wait some more.

Car pool lines are just a bore.

For appointments I wait at the door.

I wonder when I reach the pearly gate

If I can go right in or if I'll have to wait.

Life's Little Frustrations

My glasses weren't really lost. They were just temporarily misplaced.

But the fact that they were missing was a fact that had to be faced.

I decided someone had moved them and said so with a frown

Until my glasses reappeared in the spot where I'd put them down!

The Privilege of Prayer

James 4:2b, "You do not have, because you do not ask God."

I have been journaling recently, and I have found that it is very beneficial to me spiritually. Almost every day I include some prayer requests about my greatest concerns that day. As I have looked back at some of my journal entries, I have realized that God has answered a number of my recent prayers. Things I have "temporarily misplaced" but needed badly have reappeared. Things I needed to do but couldn't seem to manage have been accomplished. There have been improvements in areas where I have prayed for others.

When I fail to pray about my days I operate in my power, and that's similar to riding a bicycle. I don't go too fast or too far, and I get awfully tired and often frustrated. On the days that I pray and commit everything to God, it's more like riding in a car. The power is God's power; I go faster and farther; the ride is much smoother; and I feel so much more serene inside.

All too often I have been guilty of needlessly living in the poverty of prayerlessness when God offers us such wonderful invitations as these: Hebrews 4:16, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." James 5:16b, "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results."

Father, You have given us the wonderful privilege of communication with You. May I not waste this great gift but use it and benefit from it every day. Amen.

Life's Little Frustrations

The weather's damp. The trees are bare.

Winter's chill is in the air.

Cold weather soon it will bring.

It's a long time from now till spring.

Goals

Philippians 3:13b-14, "One thing I do; forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

During our lifetimes we set, and fulfill, many goals. Some goals are central and other are peripheral--from very important to almost negligible. Have you ever tried to record your goals for the next year, for the next ten years, and for the rest of your life? This practice helps us focus on what is of utmost importance. It's a good idea to set long term goals and then short term goals which will enable us to accomplish our long term goals, steps along the way to doing or becoming what we desire.

It's very easy for us to become distracted from our goals. If we have a goal of losing a few pounds, along comes December with Christmas and party food and candy and cookies. Suppose we have a goal of exercising for thirty minutes a day. If we are sore from exercising yesterday or it is raining when we wake up or we get several early morning phone calls with things that need to be done right away, it's all too easy to let the exercise time slide by that day. It's the same way with daily quiet time. The urgent can push out the important things in our lives. No doubt you have heard the saying that "The good is often enemy of the best." It's amazing how many good things I can accomplish while trying to avoid the one best thing I should be doing.

I have one goal that is primary for me, and that is to do God's will for my life. Our enemy throws many distractions in my path, and I am all too often lured away, but my real desire is to serve God and to see other people come to know Christ and to grow spiritually. I must keep focusing on that goal and not become distracted or settle for lesser goals. What are your most important goals? What do you want to accomplish above all else?

Father, keep our eyes focused on doing Your will. Keep us from being lured away from it by distractions. Amen.