50 Days of Waiting #4

While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, 
but to wait there for the promise of the Father. 

- Acts 1:4

If all is going well, I will be somewhere in Utah (even possibly Montana) when this article posts.  This season of waiting has been one of the most out-of-the-ordinary seasons of waiting yet!

This past week I was really convicted of the fact that each post in this serious seems down or dreary, focusing on the trials and hard times.  I believe with all my heart there was a point to those posts.  A way of seeing how, even in the dark, Christ is the light.  

So this week I just want to focus on that LIGHT.  I want to focus there because what I realized, in conviction mode, is how sometimes we focus on dark more than we should.  

In those dark places... all we see is.... dark.  We know and we trust a savior is in the darkness with us, but we forget to look over and see him there, his outline, his shine, his BRIGHTNESS.  The enemy (aka, satan) wants us to only focus on the dark.

So there we stand, waiting, just us, in the darkness, knowing our Savior is there too.

This past week I chose to turn around.  To search for the light, run towards the light, cling to the light.  It may have been a spec when I first surveyed... but it was there.  

That doesn't mean I had all the answers I needed. 

I was still waiting.

But instead of waiting on a bench in the dark corner, I sat down on a bench in the full-blown sunshine.  I turned my face up, lightly closed my eyes and smiled... breathing in the peace of God.

I realized, no matter where I am, there God will be and I must look directly at him.  I may be somewhere horrible... I may be somewhere marvelous.  I may be where I think I should be... or where I don't think I was meant to be at all... but the fact is; if we GO where and when God calls, we will never be anywhere outside of just.where.we.belong!

I realized this as I thought on our trip to Phoenix.  We hopped in the RV on a Wednesday afternoon, 2 hours later we began the bypass of Nashville and a few hours after that we got out of the RV... still in Nashville.  As a matter of fact, 8 days later we finally drove out.  Finally headed west.  Then, 2 days into that leg of our trip, a severe wind and then sand storm pulled us into Pecos, Texas to hunker down a few days.

Christmas was coming.  My heart was longing to just be settled.  This same heart cried out, "Why have You forsaken me?!"

But God had a plan.

I was focused on the dark, not the light.  I was focused on my ideas of the plan, forgetting to just wait for God's ideas to play out.

Then, God opened a door to speak.  Of all evenings, all days, all times to be there - then, THIS was the one God ordained.  

I taught and spoke and shared all that God led me to.  At the end of the night I looked over as a tough young woman melted, tear stained cheeks, hugs to those she had argued with just hours before, now she was giving herself over to her Savior.  

This whole trip; giving up car, RV breaking down, repairs ongoing, heart-ached relationships, breaking down again, the specific route we took, the moment we arrived.  GOD USED EVERY LAST PART OF IT.  The pain, the joy and everything inbetween.

He.was.in.control all along.

All I needed to do was sit back, wait, and see.

That story came to me this past week as I thought on dark vs. light.  The candles in this meme's icon vs. the dark in the background.  What will we focus on as we wait.  The trials and darkness?  Or will we look for the light and walk towards it, sit in it, cling to it... while we wait.

I pray you bask in the light of His love today.  That you soak up the good times and turn your face toward the glimmer in the bad.  God has a plan.  Just wait.

but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.  

- Isaiah 40:31

Blessings,

 

  

 Also linking up with some of these

To see 50 Days of Waiting #1 click here.  #2, click here. and #3, click here

If you want to swipe my graphic and wait with me... please do!  I would love to find I am gathered with many, as the disciples were, waiting.

If you decide to wait with me, feel free to share below as well.  The only rules are that your post must be about scripture, prayer, or any area of your life where you are waiting on the Lord or seeing Him move. 

Share how you are waiting on the Lord right now.  Enter into the upper room with us...