I havent blogged in a while and I’ll blame my busy holiday season for that. After a month of beloved visitors coming and going through our home, and our household visiting others as well, I have been intentionally spending my down time with God, my husband and kids. No pouring out my talents in music, writing, or even going out of my way to minister to others. Just a lot of being still and sharing the love of Christ with whoever I bump into along the way. A great deal of exploring new praise and worship music and a desk full of books I read. It’s been a time of fueling up. And I know that means one thing:
The hurdles have been lined up. I am crouched down on the starting line, awaiting the blank to be fired, and ready to take off running as fast as I can.
But for now deep breath in, deep breath out.
My need for patience linked arms with humility becomes clearer and clearer everyday. When I first surrendered my life to Christ, I resembled the hare in the classic Tortoise and the Hare story. I ran as fast as I could wherever the path took me, leaving behind whatever hindered me.
I went on a one week mission trip two weeks after dedicating my life to Christ. We ministered the gospel of Jesus to teens and young adults partying on a beach. They were slaves to the exact same sins that I had just been pulled out from. I was on top of the world yelling at the darkness about this little Light of mine.
But the light dimmed when the trials came and I found myself lukewarm, drifting back deeper into the lifestyle I’d so recently abandoned. I was the seed planted in gravel. The rain came and I washed away.
Thankfully I was pushed into signing up and raising money for a 3 month long mission trip in California by my new missionary friends whom I had moved in with. These new friends were the Titus to my Paul ( 2 Corinthians 7:6), cheering me on as I dusted off my tattered jeans and got back up. They never ceased to encourage me, never once judging me when I fell. I can not say “thank you” enough to Kelsey, Brittany and Taylor. You three girls were the first genuinely Christ-like people I’d ever had the pleasure of building a relationship with.
Afterwards, I spent an entire week’s drive to California with a super-Christian friend I hardly knew. I write “super-Christian” because she was an amazing reflection of Jesus, to the point of me being jealous of her and thinking I’d never achieve that type of closeness to God. I didn’t realize then that God wanted that for me too. I spent that journey literally sobering up, being still with the Lord as my feet dangled off of the edge of the Grand Canyon, and learning patience as our drive across the United States blurred into the horizon. Again, I was being fueled up.
I had no idea that this mission trip would actually be God’s mission for me to see the depths of Christ’s love and truly be transformed by the His Holy Spirit. I spent the summer of a lifetime surrounded by Jesus-loving friends and diving deeper than I ever had into an intimate relationship with God. I was transformed to the point of no return.
I share this tidbit of my life in hopes of revealing the importance of submission to the journey. Submit to God’s stop-signs and green lights within the journey. Humility and patience are directly connected to our level of endurance through this trek of life. We have to humble ourselves before God to realize His sovereignty over our lives. Doing this allows us to see the need for His Spirit to guide us in ALL things, bringing forth the budding of the fruits of the Holy Spirit within our hearts. As I am sure every human to exist could agree, patience does not come naturally. Haste is in our nature. But I tell you today wait, my friend.
“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:4 NKJV)
That verse says more than I ever could. Wait on God! The promise is coming! Remember just who this God is, whom has set an appointed time for your promise to be fulfilled (Exodus 9:5). He is El Shaddai, God Almighty, who has no limits. He is Jehovah, Sovereign Lord and Leader, who can make a way through oceans (Exodus 6:2-3).
“This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,” (Genesis 2:4 NKJV)
This lays the foundation for us to see just who He is and what He does! God Almighty brought me out of the pit & Jehovah my Lord leads me down His path of righteousness through Jesus! When we see Him as both Lord and God we surrender our impossibilities to being His capabilities. If He can create planets and Heaven itself, what can’t He do? Your appointed time is already written. Trust in Him.
Humble yourself before God, seeing His sovereignty over all and your deep need for His leadership in your life. Reflect back on the countless times God has been patient with you so that you can learn from Him and apply it to your own life.
Feel that momentum building up? Get ready while you wait! Put the spikes on your track shoes, kneel down, and breathe deep. Wait for God’s signal, and go! We are in this race together.
“But those who wait on 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 NKJV)
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