Active Waiting

I have no control over my life. I know this. This is not a “self-control” issue discussion. I’m talking about external situations in my life that frustrate me or that I want to manage.

That’s not so unusual, is it? It’s always easier to accept a part of our life if we can do something to "keep moving forward" if you've seen Meet the Robinsons, to feel a little bit proactive. But in truth, we mainly have one option – prayer. Sometimes God opens doors that allow us to act or to advise. But sometimes, He doesn’t. And that’s where I am in several areas of my life.

I get a daily scripture on igoogle. Some days it really speaks to me; other days I think yeah, I know. I’ve read this one hundreds of times. This morning’s verse was nice, but I didn’t catch my breath in amazement at the message.

So I went on over to Comcast where my old email account remains. Every day there I get a devotional from Today’s Christian Woman and the same story goes there. Some days it feels right; some days I think, yeah? Okay, so?

This morning before I read my devotional, I asked God to speak to me through the words or the scripture. I read the scripture from Isaiah, the one about mounting on wings like eagles? And I thought, that’s a nice scripture. I like that one but I know it. I’m not getting chill bumps. And I went to take my shower and get dressed.

I was going over the verse in my mind when I was stopped in my tracks. And I began to smile and shake my head. How many times have I read or quoted that verse? And where it says, “those who wait on the Lord”, I’ve just mentally glossed over and replaced the phrase with “those who love God,” “those who do their Bible study,” “those who pray,” etc.

And today God tapped me on the shoulder with that little word “wait”! Because that’s what He’s been asking me to do. So I looked up the meaning in Strong’s. And you know what? It doesn’t say “pray and then worry about it” or “sigh and resign yourself to discouragement.” It says, “to wait, look for, hope, expect, look eagerly for.”

I’ve heard “wait” from Him. But today, He let me know that if I continue to pray and to WAIT, He will strengthen me and keep me energized to continue believing He has a plan and He is in control. And I can be joyful and soar with the eagles!

Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.