Tag Archives: waiting

Waiting on Jesus

(In the Moments) The Joy of Waiting

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Stepping back can seem like quitting but think of it as waiting for another. I’m not usually good at it. When we’re taking a walk or shopping, my bride tells me she loves my butt, but would prefer not to be looking at it when we should be together. This slows me down and I take her hand. The point is being with her, not finishing the walk or checking shopping off our list.

Walking with my wife is about savoring our moments together. It’s also that way when I’m with God. Problems and duties give me various opportunities to walk with God and to wait on His timing. When I forge ahead on my own, I’m missing out on being with the Source of joy. I’m also detached from the Source of Life, who guides and empowers my life.

Why I Step Ahead

I’m realizing that I step ahead because I don’t really trust God is in control of certain situations. It’s a terrible idea to try fixing life on my own terms, but I still do it. God is at work in all situations to conform me into the image if Christ. [1] Though I may not like His methods, stepping ahead doesn’t save time. It prolongs the process.

I also step ahead because I’m compelled to accomplish. My sense of self-worth seems linked to my perceived success. This is exhausting, especially when I take on things God never intended me to do. The result is futility. Apart from God’s life working in me, what I do has no eternal worth. [2]

I’m a slow learner with this one. How quickly I convince myself that this or that is a good thing and forge ahead. I’ve worn myself out doing what seems good, instead of waiting on God’s best for me.

These actions are doubly harmful because when I don’t wait on God and the empowerment of His Holy Spirit, I operate in my power instead. So, not waiting on God causes me to wear myself out doing things which have no real value.

Nobody has time for that.

Waiting Starts with acknowledging Weakness

After Paul repeatedly spoke to the Lord about his weakness, the Lord responded, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” [3]

His response, “Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So, I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (II Corinthians 12:9b-10 CSB)

What I’m realizing is that waiting often depends upon the value I place in my weaknesses. If I truly believe my weakness is good, which is often hard to admit, God’s power can be perfected in my weaknesses.

This is by far the best route to take.

My weaknesses remind me to wait for God’s direction and power.

In the Waiting

Waiting is the best. If I trust Him, God promises to guide me. God is at work. In His timing, He’ll show me when and how to join Him along the way. If I’ll wait, He’ll show me.

In the waiting, I learn to trust in His control, His love, His strength. Stepping back is making way for another. Stepping back is waiting for Him to initiate and allowing His power from the vine to produce true fruit in my life.

In the waiting, I’m with God, digging deeper into His love, basking in the joy of His presence, depending on His glorious power.

Being with God really is what it’s all about. I don’t want to miss out on the most important thing by stepping ahead without Him.

Challenge

Is there a situation in your life where you’re waiting for God? Most of us have several. Perhaps you’ve already inserted yourself to no avail. You may have even made matters worse.

It’s okay. God’s mercies are new every morning. He can use even our bad choices for His ultimate plan to make us more like Jesus.

Step back. Wait now.

Waiting is hard but take courage. He is with us in the waiting.

Prayer

 Lord, I’m sorry for moving ahead of You. I see now how utterly futile it is. Please keep me from rushing ahead. Please build my trust. You’re in complete control of every situation and You will show me my part. I open my heart to understanding Your great love for me. I look forward to the marvelous adventures which await in my communion with You as I wait.

Amen.

 [1] Romans 8:28-29

[2] John 15:5

[3] II Corinthians 12:9

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Other posts in our series In the Moments:

As Sea Gulls Fly

It is Finished

Behold the Moments

Tranquility

Stop Striving

Simplicity In Christ

What is Good

Yet Will I Rejoice

Sorrowful, Yet Always Rejoicing

Exploring Grace and Joy together

Stay Present My Friends

Quiddity. It Could Change Your Life

The Cake Maker’s Blunder

God at Work (No Trespassing)

Hidden with Christ in God

Finding Joy in Love and Relationships

Escaping the Rat Race

When I don’t Feel God’s Loving Kindness

Experiencing Completeness in Christ

Overcoming Pain Through Faith

Recalibrating Our Hearts

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Christ our Source, Our Higher Purpose, Waiting on Jesus

Stepping Back (Republished In the Moments)

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Stepping back can seem like quitting but think of it as waiting for another. I’m not usually good at it. When we’re taking a walk or shopping, my bride tells me she loves my butt, but would prefer not be looking at it when we should be together. This slows me down and I take her hand. The point is being with her, not finishing the walk or checking shopping off my list.

Like walking with my wife is about savoring our moments together, life’s highest purpose is about being with God. Problems and duties give us various opportunities to walk with Him in different manners, but they’re secondary to walking with the Lord. When I forge ahead on my own I’m missing out on being with the Source of Joy.  I’m also detached from the Source of Life who guides and empowers.

Why I Step Ahead

I’m realizing that I step ahead because I don’t trust God is in control of a particular situation. It’s a terrible idea to try fixing life on my own terms, but I do it. God is at work in all situations to conform me into the image if Christ.[1] Though I may not like His methods, stepping ahead doesn’t save time. It prolongs the process.

I also step ahead because I’m compelled to accomplish. Seems my self-worth is tied to how successful I feel. This is exhausting, especially when I take on things God never intended. The result is futility. Apart from God’s life working in me, what I do is worth nothing.[2]

In the Waiting

Waiting is best. If we trust Him, God promises to guide us. God’s at work. In His timing He’ll show us when and how to join Him along the way. If we’ll wait, He’ll show us. In the waiting we learn to trust in His control, in His love, in His strength. Stepping back is making way for Another. Stepping back is waiting for Him to initiate and allowing His power from the vine to produce true fruit in our lives.

In the waiting we’re with God, digging deeper into the His love, basking in the joy of His presence, depending on His glorious power.

Being with God really is what it’s all about. I don’t want to miss out on the most important thing by stepping ahead without Him.

 Lord, I’m sorry for moving ahead of You. I see now how utterly futile it is. Please keep me from rushing ahead. Please build my trust. You’re in complete control of every situation and You will show me my part. I open my heart to understand Your great love for me. I look forward to the great adventures which await in my communion with You. Amen

 [1] Romans 8:28-29

[2] John 15:5

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

Being with us Gives God Pleasure, Loved in spite of how we feel

Walking in God’s Delight

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Being With My Buds

When I was a kid we had no cell phones, no internet, and no video games. Personal computers had not been invented. We had four TV channels, if you included the educational channel. A few shows were in color including, Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, which aired on Sunday nights. So, we spent a lot of time playing outside.

At the bottom of my road, my good friends Larry and Lee lived next to each other. On Saturday mornings, I might watch a few cartoons, but I much preferred being with my buds. As soon as possible, I’d hop on my bike and coast down the hill to their houses to hang out. We’d play basketball, baseball or football, fish in the creek or ride our bikes to the community pool to swim.

I remember, in my excitement, arriving too early one Saturday morning. I saw no activity in either house and I didn’t want to wake anyone. I parked my bike and sat on a bank in between their two houses and waited to play with them. I don’t remember who showed up first, but when one of them came out of their house, the games began.

Would God arrive early to be with me? Would He wait eagerly for me to appear? I read that He would, and so much more. But, I can’t grasp it.

They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my stay. He brought me forth also into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me (Psalm 18:18-19 NASB).

Lord, I read you delight in me. You’re gladder to be with me than I was to be with Larry and Lee. Being with me gives You pleasure. I can’t fathom this.

All You’ve Done for Me

Lord, open the eyes of my heart to all you’ve done for me and how much You long to be with me.

  • Before the world was formed, you chose to love me and to adopt me as your child[1]
  • You’ve loved me with an everlasting love which is unaffected by any of my thoughts, feelings or choices[2]
  • You’re familiar with all my ways, You weaved me together in my mother’s womb, Your thoughts toward me are beyond number[3]
  • Your love for me surpasses understanding. Even the breadth, width, length and height of the ocean and the sky above doesn’t adequately portray how delighted you are in me[4]
  • Even when I was against you, dead in my sinful ways and lost with no hope, you gave your very life so that we could be together forever[5]
  • You rejoice and shout for joy when You’re with me[6]

Wow! Great thanks and praise well up in my heart at all you’ve done for me. You care for me more than any person ever could.

Declaring Your Love for Me

Lord, nothing in my life can thwart your love for me.

I was in your mind when you created the world and Your thoughts toward me can’t be measured.

You know everything about me.

You designed me according to Your plans for me.

You’re so happy to be with me You gave your life to rescue me from oblivion.

I make you rejoice and jump for joy.

Walking in God’s Delight

How will walking in heart felt awareness of God’s delight in me change me?

Walking in God’s delight allows me to absorb the hurtful actions of others, like flaming arrows extinguished in a vast ocean.

Walking in God’s delight allows me to I trust that even the very difficult trials I’m going through are being used by Him for my eternal good.

Walking in God’s delight allows me to stay aware of His nearness and rejoice in life’s moments with him.

Walking in God’s delight allows me to notice and appreciate more fully His creation around me.

Walking in God’s delight allows me to love others with His abiding love.

Walking in God’s delight allows me to desire Him and delight in Him about all else.

Walking in God’s delight fills me with the overflowing joy of His presence.

Our Opposition

Walking in heartfelt awareness of God’s delight will literally change the moments of our days and transform our lives. So, it’s a key strategy of our adversary to try and block this life changing knowledge. But we are not unaware of these schemes and we are divinely empowered to destroy everything that blocks God’s love.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (II Corinthians 10:3-5 NASB).

Prayer

Lord, knowing your love changes everything. Reveal your great delight in us now and always. Help us walk in your delight. By your mighty divine power, destroy every speculation and lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of your love. Fill our hearts with fresh awareness of your delight in us. In Jesus name I pray.   

Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

[1] Ephesians 1:4-5

[2] Jeremiah 31:3

[3] Psalm 139

[4] Ephesians 3:17-19

[5] Ephesians 2:4-5

[6] Zephaniah 3:17