Waiting

Waiting....it's not the easiest task to accomplish, yet it does have its pay-off. Living in a day and age where we can microwave almost any meal, have access via the web to any information, or have a hamburger our way within five minutes doesn't help matters. Instead of waiting for a letter through the Postal Service, we have email. So it's no surprise that it's a challenge to most people to wait, myself included. I even get frustrated when my internet or the e-mail is a minute slower than I think it should be. The word wait is throughout the Bible. One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 40:31..."But those who wait upon 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 be faint." Isn't that great?

Admittedly this is hard to apply in day to day life. I've been in the process waiting for about five months now. Believe me, it has been tough. I received a job last November(after searching a long time) and have been waiting ever since then to truly get started. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful I have a job. It will be nice to get started and actually see the income come in for it. Several times I have doubted and even wanted to find something else, but yet I waited. I actually started looking for another job one day, and had prayed to God and asked for guidance on what to do. The very next day, I got an email from my employer and she explained everything to me and said she hoped I hadn't changed my mind about working with them. I hadn't contacted her recently, and hadn't heard from her in a couple of weeks. To me, that was my answer, wait...it was the encouragement I needed. Today I am getting closer to getting stared,but still waiting a bit more. Doubts come and go, but I am still waiting. Things take time, even jobs. 1 Peter 5:7 says "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time" (bold mine). I am expectant and excited that after waiting this long, this job must be bringing great things! It may not be perfect, but definitely worth the wait. God has a plan for us (Jeremiah 29:11), it just may not happen when we think it should. We have to trust God and wait.

Accepted.

After focusing on the people that have rejected me in my lifetime, I was impressed upon to make two lists. One of the people I know that accept me unconditionally and the other of the people that I know have rejected me. I discovered that after I was done with both lists, that I had way more on the accepted side than on the rejected side. I felt the Holy Spirit tell me to focus more on those that accept me than on those that reject me. However, I should pray for those that have rejected me. Isn't it just like the enemy to want us to focus on the few people we don't have in our lives than on the many we do?

Jesus was rejected by many (Is 53:3) and to this day is still being rejected all over the world. However, He is accepted by many believers and most importantly God the Father! Everyone wants to be accepted but we don't have to compromise in order to be accepted. Look at Jesus. Many people rejected him, but He still spoke the Good News and died and rose again for us. He didn't stress over the ones who rejected Him but had Compassion and Mercy for those who freely accepted Him. Some people that rejected Him at first eventually accepted Him, like Saul(Paul). Maybe in time, like Saul(Paul), once they've seen God's love shining through, they may accept you, maybe not. God never compromises on His word, and neither should you and I. Lead a godly life, pray for those that reject you, and cherish the ones that freely and unconditionally accept you. The ones that reject you do not know your worth and are missing out on tremendous blessings. The ones that accept you are truly blessed and see your worth and true potential. They love you without condition. Don't live out of others' heads, just live according to God's word. If you are worth nothing to anyone else on this earth, you are worth a lot to God, the one who divinely created you! Like my pastor says: "When you're accepted by the Best, who cares about the rest?" This is not a license to be a jerk, but one to live a life according to God's plan and word without fear of rejection. Remember God SO loves you
(John 3:16)!

Do it Anyway

While reading Luke the other day, I came across something that really stood out to me. It has been on my mind and heart ever since that day. Luke 22:47 NKJV says: And while He was still speaking, behold a multitude; and he was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him.

The part of that verse that really stood out to me was While He was STILL speaking... Ever since then I have been pondering that first bit. The reason it stood out to me was because Jesus knew (John 18:4) what was going to happen, yet He was still speaking to His disciples. I'm not entirely sure what He was saying to them, but you know if it was coming out of Jesus' mouth, it was important. That really struck a cord with me because, I look back and see how many times I knew something was going to happen or something that was happening and allowed that to stop me in my tracks. Notice it didn't say while Jesus was still fretting or while Jesus was still worrying, but While He was still speaking. He went on with the mission His(Our) Father had given Him, and accepted it freely. How easy is it to let pending or current circumstances stop us from doing what we should or what we need to be doing? I know it is for me at least. Sometimes it is difficult to press towards the mark (Phil. 3:14). Even though it is difficult that doesn't mean we shouldn't do it. After all, you know it had to be very difficult to endure the cross! Many times I tend to focus on things too much and it stops me from making progress. Instead of focusing on the fact that it will happen or has happened, I need to accept it and move on with my life. Often, I have sat there and dwelled on every minute detail, letting it reel in my head over and over. What am I doing? I am sitting there and developing the Whoa is Me syndrome. However, God does not want us to do that. He wants us to stand up and move on, pressing toward the mark. Even though it may be difficult we need to do it anyway! Sometimes situations are difficult and may feel like more than we can bear, but if we push though it, we will come out on the other side stronger and our faith flourishes.

I can give a perfect example (since after all this blog is about me being transparent, right?) I was searching for a job for a long while. I would apply to job after job, and either get no response, or would get an interview and not get a call back. At times I allowed that to become a hinderance for me. I would wallow in self-pity, thinking and sometimes saying, "Oh I will never get a job." I knew the road to finding a job was not going to be easy. I let my unsuccessful attempts get the better of me. Sometimes I didn't even clean or read the word, but would sit there and wonder if I would ever get a job, or I would try to do something else to get my mind off of it(other than something productive). At one point, I even stopped looking, because nothing was turning up. It was so easy to give up. However, we all know that doing what we need to do is not always, or even some of the time easy. Once I was over my bout of pity partiness(making it up as I go folks), I got back on that wagon and started looking again through the encouragement of my husband and friends. (A side note here: I am so thankful God has put these people in my life! Praise God!) After a few failed interviews and being turned down even before I got an interview, I was finally pointed in the right direction. A very awesome lady pointed me to my current job, for which I am extremely grateful. I now have a job, and know that God will give me favor in it (Psalm 5:12). In fact, when I read Luke 22:47, I was at a training for my new job (that I had arrived early for).

Jesus knew what was laid out before Him and He continued to do His(Our) Father's work. That made such an impression on me, just that simple phrase. I want to be like Jesus and do what I am called to do, even when it is difficult. Wow, God is so awesome. God Bless!