Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Waiting on the Lord--It's About the Process Not the Outcome

I read the most inspirational email today!  It was about God's timing in fulfilling the desires of our hearts.

We have all heard the saying that goes, "Sometimes God says, NO".  But I wonder if we confuse "NO" with "Yes...  but in MY time".

We live in a time where we get online and order any product from anywhere in the country, and see it delivered to our doorstep 24-72 hours later. Have we become people who not only dislike waiting, but no longer know HOW to wait?

I admit it, I hate waiting!! Instant gratification is something I deserve, right? --Ha!

At Disneyland my family has the Fast-Pass system worked out!  We want to get on those rides quickly and get through the park in a very synchronized manner.  How fun, huh?!  It is truly a painful experience to wait in a line for 45 minutes!!

Waiting = Pain.  Hmmm.

Expedited shipping at Amazon? Absolutely! If it's a book I've decided I want to read-- I want to read it, NOW. Certainly waiting an extra week is ridiculous!!

Do we need to look further than the array of fast-food restaurants, microwave dinners or instant breakfast drinks / bars to see that we are just too busy to wait for a real meal to finish cooking in the oven? How did our moms do it--every night?!  Not even having the option of "making" pre-breaded chicken nuggets, even!

When we think about ourselves and our culture, it makes total sense that we may have lost the ability and even the DESIRE to wait on the Lord.  But His word is full of examples about waiting on the Lord. The blessings that come from doing just that!

"Now may the God who gives comfort and strength in waiting make you of the same mind with one another in harmony with Christ Jesus…" Romans 15:5


"And so, as the result of patient waiting, our forefather obtained what God had promised." Hebrews 6:15


"And not only so, but let us have joy in our troubles: in the knowledge that trouble gives us the power of waiting. And waiting gives experience; and experience, hope: and hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:4-5

Sometimes I can look back at a blessing that came from God, and realize there were several mini-blessings found in the PROCESS of waiting on Him.  Things that I never realized, even while they were happening, that were part of the process of waiting on the Lord-- because I was so intent on looking for the OUTCOME.

Are you like me, and more focused on the outcome rather than the process?  Step away from the situation you've been praying about, for just a moment.  Has the Lord taken you on a journey through this prayer process?  Has your life been touched (even in a small way) by someone or something who (that) may have crossed your path in a fragmented answer to that main prayer?  Look at it... from all angles.  Perhaps then you too will see that waiting on the Lord is more about the process and less about the outcome.

Enjoy the ride.  Our God truly supplies the best E- ticket adventures, ever!

5 comments:

  1. Yet another friend being used by God today!! This morning I woke up in tears and God has used one friend after another to remind me of His promises and His provisions. I know this lesson so very well but needed the reminder today. Thank you for sharing. You are such a blessing to me!!

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  2. Great post. Before I started my own PR company, Bruce Carroll (an amazing singer/songwriter who was one of the artists I represented at the record label I worked for at the time) and I were talking, and his words stuck with me to this day. He said, "It's not just knowing what God is calling you to do. You have to rely on his perfect timing. He may tell you about it, and be preparing you for it--but also tell you to wait for it." I'm not very patient so those were words of huge wisdom, and I have quoted him again and again over the years!

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  3. Just wanted to say Thank you for writing this. My family and I are in the process of moving from Alabama to Oregon and alot of the answers we are needing aren't coming as far as a job, place to live, etc. My husband went out there to get it all settled and we are still waiting but after reading this it gave him so energy to keep going. God actually woke him up at 2am and said find your new church, which he has. So if we don't have a job or a house to live in at least we have God's house. lol. Thanks again. Awesome inspiration.

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