I am so happy to have my friend, Kasia Allen, guest writing here today. I had the privilege of getting to know her when she was a young teenager in high school when I first started going to my church. She has grown up, gone to college and moved on to the big city but she’s still in my heart. She is also still active in her faith. What an encouragement it is to know a young woman still walking with her Lord through high school, college and beyond.
I’ve always struggled with waiting. From the coffee being made in the morning to waiting for the right husband and the ability to have children. Even now I struggle greatly with some waiting issues. As I learn more and more that waiting will be a lifelong experience, I also learn more and more how to not waste the waiting. Kasia has learned at a young age to be active while waiting. What a difference actively waiting has on our lives, the people around us and on our disposition before the Lord. Be encouraged today as Kasia points us toward what you can do, what you should not do and, most importantly, what the Lord does do in our waiting…
When it’s not important, I like to wait in line. It’s actually quite nice. You aren’t responsible yet for that purchase (is the dress really worth this much? should I buy this much brown licorice? what if I get tired of this piece of furniture?) but I’ve already done the work of choosing it so I accomplished that part of the task. Then I get to just wait in line. I can text or talk to a friend, read, pray, think, so many things.
When it is important, my perspective changes. Instead of being grateful for the blessings and circumstances I have and content with what is out of my control, it’s easy to feel so many other emotions and thoughts.
There can be a hopelessness in waiting: wondering if it will ever happen; if that person will ever change. Hopelessness can lead to anger, melancholy, listlessness. Jealousy that someone else doesn’t have to wait. There can be also fear in waiting: knowing what will happen but knowing it won’t yet. Anger that it has to happen but that you can’t do anything now. Melancholy over not being able to stop it.
There are more ways that waiting is hard. More specific ways that it can be difficult. We have to wait in so many various ways: relationally, spiritually, emotionally, biologically, etc.
But I’ve wondered, if it is foreordained that I wait in this particular circumstance, then what do I do now?
Psalm 37
English Standard Version (ESV)
He Will Not Forsake His Saints
Of David.
David speaks of what to do, of how to think of God because He is God and how to do so when things are hard. He instructs us to trust, delight, and commit ourselves to the Lord.
There are positive actions and behaviors we can act on.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
David then commands us to wait upon the Lord with patience, not to fret, and to restrain from evil. We restrain from the sin that can be tempting when things are difficult–we abstain and refrain.
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
But we are not left without encouragement. Our Father foreordained all things to pass. He protects us, preserves us, and takes care of our lives–here and throughout eternity.
23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
when he delights in his way;
so shall you dwell forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice;
he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land
and dwell upon it forever.
While waiting can range from being an annoyance to so emotionally painful that it is also physically so, we do have instructions and holy ways we can can wait. We have a kind, loving, and powerful God who knows that we will wait and knows the full complexity and pain it may cause us. While we wait and live out our lives in prayer with with love for others–while we wait–we do have a loving and merciful God who watches over us and will not forsake us.
Kasia Marie Allen is thankful she lives in Maplewood and can walk to a pie shop on the weekend (try the chocolate bourbon pecan!). She thinks flowers are always a brilliant idea, milk should be added to tea, and books are best in hardback but even better if they smell old and dusty.
Image: Woman-Silhouette-Waiting-For-S-5824100 by Denise-Bigstock
good word! i love how Scripture tells us EXACTLY how to do what we all must!
visiting from laura’s and Holley’s…i must’ve needed this 🙂
I appreciate too how practical this Word is to us here…thanks for visiting!
Thank you so much! I’m constantly amazed at the command of scripture and the love of God proclaimed.
Love this on waiting! This verse really speaks to me as I’m in waiting it’s easy to compare, or wonder how someone got where they are when they’re scheming away (I just came across someone doing this)..(I love REFRAIN from anger)
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evilVisiting from Small Wonders.!
Great post!
May we not fret, may we refrain and may we turn toward the Lord as we wait…even in the painful hurtful kind of waiting. God bless you as you do this! Thanks for the visit!
I think jealously and anger can come so easily when discontent with waiting. It’s encouraging to know that others have gone through some of the same feelings and God was also faithful then.
Hi, I’m visiting your blog from the Testimony Tuesday link-up. I’m not good at waiting but have been learning lately to trust God and that I have to go at his pace rather than demand he goes at mine! “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” That’s what I need to do instead of trying to make it all happen myself. Thanks for your encouragement in how to wait well.
Who IS good at waiting? I don’t know anyone good at it. But we can get better and better right? It will always be hard…but by God’s grace, we will stand in the midst of it and lean on Him. Thanks so much for visiting me!
Isn’t His pace so difficult and sanctifying? I think not knowing His pace and the specifics is rather frustrating!
Excellent encouragement and beautiful scriptures! Thanks for sharing at #RaRaLinkup today!
I love these scriptures too and am encouraged myself. Thanks for visiting, Angela.
Thank you!
Speaking today from a season of waiting and thankful for this scripturally rich word of hope.
Thank you! May the grace of the Lord be with you while waiting.
Blessings of hope to you as you wait out this season…Thanks for visiting, Michelle!
Thanks for this Amy/Kasia. Waiting is not my favourite activity. I never really thought of doing it in a intentional, godly fashion… Should have been obvious I guess 😛
Funny how the Lord makes something so simply clear after a lifetime of not seeing it. May you be blessed as you practice intentionality in the wait…:)
Haha indeed. Thank you 🙂
That is a very good point, Kasia. And a much better outlook than my habitual perfectionist take of, “Oh no, something else I’ve failed at!” ;P
Sometimes it’s easy to feel like life is a cycle of being aware of one sin area and then another and then back to the other one. But just because we later grow aware of one area where we may need to repent and grow doesn’t mean we haven’t been growing and sanctified in other areas in the process.
Ohhh Kasia, thank you so much for sharing this with us! It touches deep for me today as I wait on a few things that are totally out of my control. It is a great blessing to be reminded and make me think about what I should be doing as I wait, and the attitude I should have while I do those things. So thankful to God that He is in control, and He knows what will happen! I thank God for you, and the ways He is blessing you. You are an amazing woman!
Hi Betsy–thanks for visiting! I will practice this active waiting right alongside you…
BETSY!!! Thank you for your kind comments! It is very much an area that I need to grow in and repent. You are such an encouragement.
What a great post today! I really appreciate these words:
“We have a kind, loving, and powerful God who knows that we will wait and knows the full complexity and pain it may cause us.”
And, I turn to Psalm 37 often. I am challenged by your post to be a better “waiter!”
Thanks for sharing.
Came over on the Think Tank Thursday today.
Blessings,
Melanie
Hi Melanie–thanks for stopping by from Think Tank. May we all be better “waiters” and remember our Lord in the midst of it…
Thank you! One of the most calming practices when anxious or disgruntled with waiting is to meditate on the character and attributes of God.
Beautiful words. I’ve learned that God can do amazing things in the “in-between.” No, it isn’t easy and like you said, sometimes there is a physical ache, but being molded and shaped isn’t always pleasant, yet the new creation is always one to be treasured. Thank you for sharing Kasia’s words with us, Amy. #belovedbrews
I am amazed at how the soul’s aching can make the physical painful as well. It can feel a double trial. But, yes, when life gives us enough time and wisdom we can often see the fruit of difficult periods. Even if we never have the understanding or see them though, we can trust in the goodness of our Father.
I like the thought of the new creation and what God is doing is to be treasured. Thanks for stopping by, Tiffany!
Yes – we’re in a season of waiting also – waiting to hear where and what God wants from us next after a year of travel… Thank you for the encouragement.
Thank you for reminding me to turn to God’s word in all circumstances.
I love the Psalms. Thank for reminding of Psalm 37 as I wait for my business to take off in God’s timing. May God bless 🙂
This is fantastic, Kasia! Thank you for sharing such truth! I am sending this to a friend who REALLY REALLY needs to hear this today!
Beautiful encouragement. We are waiting… praying for more children. Scriptures are what I turn to as each new month passes. I found you at the Pledge Allegiance Linkup.
Thank you so much for these words of encouragement! I think one of the hardest things is waiting for something that may never come to pass. Psalm 37 and your commentary on it are beautiful reminders that all things are fulfilled in His timing and that the Lord’s ways are greater than ours.