Waiting

Waiting is hard. It didn't seem so hard to me until we found out we were #1. As soon as I knew that we could get a referral at any moment, I became obsessed with my phone. I stare at it during AGCI's office hours, make my husband stare at it when I can't, and am constantly thinking "this would be the perfect time to get our call." It's hard to concentrate on anything else. At church this weekend, we were in chapter 16 of Proverbs, and our pastor pointed out some encouraging things:

1) God is sovereign over our lives. Although we can't completely understand it, God uses everything to conform us to His image and to work out His plan in our lives. This day we are right where God wants us to be.

Proverbs 16:1,9,33
The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

2) We must trust Him with our dreams and faithfully serve Him in the present. God can put you in seemingly insignificant places to develop your character. After David was annointed as king, he went back to the fields and continued to be a shepherd for a period of time. It was there that God prepared him for great things that were ahead.

Proverbs 16:3
Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established.

3) Consider to Whom you will answer. One day we will all stand before the Lord and will give an account for how we used our time, even the time that we didn't think was important. Martin Luther said there were only two days on his calendar, this day and THAT day. We can't do anything about the past, and we can't control the future; we can only live in the present, while thinking forward to THAT day, the day that we will stand before God.

Proverbs 16:2
All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the Lord weighs the motives.

Proverbs 16:6
By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.

Please pray for us while we are waiting, that we will live in the present, remembering that we are right where He wants us to be.

Isaiah 30:18
Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice, how blessed are all those who long for Him.