He Knows
I'm trusting God for something.
I'm trusting Him for something that when I wrap words around it ... my heart, without fail, screams at my mind that it "can't possibly understand." I know you recognize the gut-lurch reaction that occurs when you've tried to share something with someone who just doesn't lay hold of the gravity of the situation.
There's only one thing of true importance that I've ever prayed for longer ... it's been well over a year now that I've watched the enemy continue to win battle after battle. I've watched Satan twist truth into daggers, dress up sin like a Christmas gift, weep like the victim, sneer like the victor and wave the banner as if to rule a kingdom.
I've responded poorly. Fear, hurt, anger and unbelief have rendered me seemingly useless in this season. Some days I have stay in bed ... other days I was up moving and there was the appearance of life, but I could not recount to you one of the activities that consumed the 18 waking hours of the day. I could go on about the difficulties but honestly, I've dwelled there long enough that I've made myself sick of the refrain.
In difficult times I've asked the Lord to give me a song for the day. I did that because Zephaniah 3 tells me that the Lord is mighty to save and He rejoices over me with singing. He has been so faithful to give me that gift. Sometimes it's a new song (Hello My Name Is lasted a while) ... sometimes it's an old standard (It is Well) ... sometimes it's something from the recesses of my mind (I am a promise, I am a possibility) ... other times it's a lyric I don't even recognize and I have to Google it (I'm Alive) ... for the past few days it's the new song by Jeremy He Knows wakes me ... and because my silent,drifting tears ... the ones that glue my face in a snotty mess to my pillow ... carry me pleading with Him to redeem the situation. I need to know HE Knows. But the past few days by the time I hit the shower, the song by Kristian Stanfill Always filled my thoughts. I confess that as I listened to the lyrics in my mind ... I lingered on the edge, waiting for Him to help me understand ... understand how, over a year later, My God is going to come through ... how, over a year later, this lingering could be categorized as anything but delay ... how, over a year later, I am supposed to continue to hope that My Help is on the way ...
but this morning this lyric resonated over and over ...
"oh my God, He will not delay, My Refuge and Strength always, I will not fear, His Promise is true ..."
Delay ... isn't over a year a delay? I live in a microwave, text message, instant message world where I expect things to happen now. And while I'm patient about many things ... patience here is wringing my heart out every.single.day. I want resolution. My heart needs a victory. My soul needs a glimpse.
But has My God delayed??
No ... He has not.
Several months ago, I picked my sister up at the airport. She was scheduled to arrive at 10:45am. When I arrived at the airport, I checked the monitor to see if her flight was on schedule. Next to her flight number were the words ... ON TIME. But friends, if I'd shown up to the airport on Friday, because I was anxious to see her ... despite the fact that there were planes arriving, people pouring through the gates ... she would not have arrived until Sunday. Frustration, wishing, praying, begging every person I know to pray, crying ... would not have changed the fact that she wasn't coming until the appointed time. If I'd stood in the corridor demanding to see her ... would that have characterized her absences as "delayed"? No ... she arrived just when she was supposed to arrive.
This is exactly how I'm responding in this situation. It's gone into ugly ... and my response speaks far more about me than it does My God.
This morning as I listenedd to the song ... I was reminded that just because He hasn't fully answered my prayer yet, does not mean that He has delayed. It simply means it is not yet time. It doesn't mean he isn't answering my prayer, even now. He's working in the midst of this difficult process and when the time is right ... because His Promise Is True ... His Love Will Shine Through.
ALWAYS
I wish I could say that it's easy to wait, but it isn't. He's refining me in this waiting process and strengthening my faith ... some days I want to give into the popular and forgo the righteous because it circumvents waiting ... but it also moves me into disobedience and that is a dangerous place for a Believer in Jesus Christ.
What are you asking God for in this season that seems impossible?
What verses will you pray over this circumstance as you wait?
The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zeph 3:17
I'm trusting Him for something that when I wrap words around it ... my heart, without fail, screams at my mind that it "can't possibly understand." I know you recognize the gut-lurch reaction that occurs when you've tried to share something with someone who just doesn't lay hold of the gravity of the situation.
There's only one thing of true importance that I've ever prayed for longer ... it's been well over a year now that I've watched the enemy continue to win battle after battle. I've watched Satan twist truth into daggers, dress up sin like a Christmas gift, weep like the victim, sneer like the victor and wave the banner as if to rule a kingdom.
I've responded poorly. Fear, hurt, anger and unbelief have rendered me seemingly useless in this season. Some days I have stay in bed ... other days I was up moving and there was the appearance of life, but I could not recount to you one of the activities that consumed the 18 waking hours of the day. I could go on about the difficulties but honestly, I've dwelled there long enough that I've made myself sick of the refrain.
In difficult times I've asked the Lord to give me a song for the day. I did that because Zephaniah 3 tells me that the Lord is mighty to save and He rejoices over me with singing. He has been so faithful to give me that gift. Sometimes it's a new song (Hello My Name Is lasted a while) ... sometimes it's an old standard (It is Well) ... sometimes it's something from the recesses of my mind (I am a promise, I am a possibility) ... other times it's a lyric I don't even recognize and I have to Google it (I'm Alive) ... for the past few days it's the new song by Jeremy He Knows wakes me ... and because my silent,drifting tears ... the ones that glue my face in a snotty mess to my pillow ... carry me pleading with Him to redeem the situation. I need to know HE Knows. But the past few days by the time I hit the shower, the song by Kristian Stanfill Always filled my thoughts. I confess that as I listened to the lyrics in my mind ... I lingered on the edge, waiting for Him to help me understand ... understand how, over a year later, My God is going to come through ... how, over a year later, this lingering could be categorized as anything but delay ... how, over a year later, I am supposed to continue to hope that My Help is on the way ...
but this morning this lyric resonated over and over ...
"oh my God, He will not delay, My Refuge and Strength always, I will not fear, His Promise is true ..."
Delay ... isn't over a year a delay? I live in a microwave, text message, instant message world where I expect things to happen now. And while I'm patient about many things ... patience here is wringing my heart out every.single.day. I want resolution. My heart needs a victory. My soul needs a glimpse.
But has My God delayed??
No ... He has not.
Several months ago, I picked my sister up at the airport. She was scheduled to arrive at 10:45am. When I arrived at the airport, I checked the monitor to see if her flight was on schedule. Next to her flight number were the words ... ON TIME. But friends, if I'd shown up to the airport on Friday, because I was anxious to see her ... despite the fact that there were planes arriving, people pouring through the gates ... she would not have arrived until Sunday. Frustration, wishing, praying, begging every person I know to pray, crying ... would not have changed the fact that she wasn't coming until the appointed time. If I'd stood in the corridor demanding to see her ... would that have characterized her absences as "delayed"? No ... she arrived just when she was supposed to arrive.
This is exactly how I'm responding in this situation. It's gone into ugly ... and my response speaks far more about me than it does My God.
This morning as I listenedd to the song ... I was reminded that just because He hasn't fully answered my prayer yet, does not mean that He has delayed. It simply means it is not yet time. It doesn't mean he isn't answering my prayer, even now. He's working in the midst of this difficult process and when the time is right ... because His Promise Is True ... His Love Will Shine Through.
ALWAYS
I wish I could say that it's easy to wait, but it isn't. He's refining me in this waiting process and strengthening my faith ... some days I want to give into the popular and forgo the righteous because it circumvents waiting ... but it also moves me into disobedience and that is a dangerous place for a Believer in Jesus Christ.
What are you asking God for in this season that seems impossible?
What verses will you pray over this circumstance as you wait?
The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zeph 3:17
Labels: # IFtablequesstions, #IFgathering, always
posted by Amy B @ 10:14 AM
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