A Word on Waiting, and on Blessings

old clock image via imageafter

We searched for a house to buy for a year and a half. It wasn't easy on my homemaker's heart! The place we were renting was up for sale and I felt like my "domain" was being torn away, my floor from beneath my feet.  I wish I had responded to that emotionally stretching time with more faith and trust; God's timing of our move and the house He provided were ultimately wonderful and good.  Oh me of little faith--I can always use a reminder to rest in God's sovereignty and gladly accept whatever comes from His hand. My husband pointed me at this excellent article today and it was so good I had to share:

Spiritual Muscle Development
"Waiting always presents me with a spiritual choice-point. Will I allow myself to question God’s goodness and progressively grow weaker in faith, or will I embrace the opportunity of faith that God is giving me and build my spiritual muscles?"

I think my tendency is to wait about as patiently as a kid in an amusement park line, "when's it going to be myyyy tuuuurn?" and then as soon as that's over, "what's the next thing?"  I sense God would have that change for the good of my family and my walk with Him, and while I'm not much good at pumping iron, I hope that my spiritual muscle definition improves as the years go by.

Shortly after the birth of my second child I came to this realization: God's gifts come to us because He is good, not because we are--we've done nothing to merit the grace He lavishes on us.  We are objects of wrath apart from the cross of Christ.  This should influence how we think about waiting...because it's not like we deserve any good thing to begin with.  As adopted children we can know that our loving Father desires to bless us, but when and how is not our call.  And if we can begin to see the waiting itself as a gift to further sanctify us, oh how great our joy might be.