Good things come to those who wait. It’s a phrase I
have heard quite a bit lately. Every time I hear those 7 words I think to
myself is this the good things? Have I finally arrived at jubilee?
I want to offer another thought…. Maybe just maybe
good things come to those who are waiting.
There was a point in my life I didn’t want to answer
another phone call or open the mailbox in fear it would simply be another
portal of bad news. I was certain for a while that God forgot about me or that
my life was simply proof God couldn’t exist at all. I have waded through all
the possible journey points in my life.
I don’t say this as a plea for pity; I mean after all don’t we all have
some junk?
During some very dark times of my life I would hear “time
will heal” and I think we all know there is some truth to this. Yet, in the moment
all that I felt sure of is my tunnel was pitch black with no sight of any light
at the end. Some days I felt as if I may not be able to take another breath,
the burden was so heavy. If you have
been there you know just what I am talking about.
There were no lights at the end BUT I began to find there were tiny little lights just barely bright enough to see the next step ahead. Not enough to actually plan a journey but enough to avoid the pit under foot. They showed up in forms of phone calls, meals, words, hugs, tears, letters, packages, diapers :) and on and on. God used people to show me I could survive I could make it, I could breathe, I could walk. One day I came across this verse “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 and I recognized I could not control my situation (for the most part) but I could control my response. I found that I could rejoice in the small stuff, pray over all stuff and develop a heart of gratefulness.
Sounds nice right? It is nice but it was also incredible difficult. Day by day, moment by moment God was shaping and molding me through my tears and encounters. If it’s up to me I don’t want to live it again, it was so painful and hard but I would never want to give up what I have seen God do and accomplish in my life.
Recently I was accepted into nursing school for the fall, (which has been a lifelong dream) my husband was offered his dream job (and I mean his DREAM job) my son was accepted into a school that 4 months ago he was 124th on the list and the blessings go on and on. I guess this is why people assume good things come to those who wait. The trouble is sometimes good things don’t come to those who wait. Sometimes good faithful people wait, hurt and still things don’t ever seem to turn around. The other problem is there is always tomorrow. Let’s face it… people whom I love are going to get sick, friends and family are going to pass away in fact my very own body is going to die someday, maybe tomorrow. My kids are going to make choices I don’t agree with, friends are going to hurt me, I am going to fail myself. If we always wait for what is to come we will miss the joy of the moment.
Recently I have had a lot of joyous occasions, reasons to stop and say “THANK YOU GOD! I love you, thank you for how you have touched my life” But long ago I was given these gifts….
- The ability to see people through God’s eyes, we all have a story, right?
- A dependence on God that will not be swayed by lack of money or circumstance for I have seen Him do the impossible.
- I have experienced the presence of God that to this day when I recall the moment I can still feel it. I know that I never have been and never will be alone.
- God always answers prayer
- God loves me even when I fail and am messy (which is pretty much all the time)
Jobs, school, money, successes,
amazing husbands (like mine) these things are good, oh so good. I rejoice and
praise God for them. They are good however they will never as good as the
amazing truths God taught me in the pit.
Good things come to those who
wait (sometimes) this is true, for me though….
Good things came to me while I
was waiting.
I do believe that good things always come to those who wait on the Lord, but the good that is on our bucket list may not be the same good that is on God's bucket list for us, and He does promise to make good of the bad things in our life.
ReplyDeleteI really believe it is what we choose to focus on...I can focus on my lack of health or be thankful that God did such a miracle that I got healthy enough to have a second child. I can focus on the fact that Andrew came 6 weeks early or remember that I started contractions at 13 weeks and made it to 34. I can focus on the diet that we all are on or focus on the miraculous healing diet has had on our family. I can say that nothing good comes out of my health issues or acknowledge that because of my health, my children's faith AND life skills have been stretched and grown.
I also believe that we have some responsibility at times for where we are in life. God opened doors for you both,but you were both faithful to pursue the direction He was leading you. You didn't let fear stand in your way.
I'm proud of you! You have worked very hard, and when life has not been easy, you have chosen to give God glory! That testimony has done more for God's Kingdom than I bet you will ever know!
Hugs, my friend!
More specifically, you could focus on grieving over the losses in Ben's life because of his disability or focus on the good-his getting into Lion's Gate. You, in your beautiful spirit, choose to see God's blessing. That is inspirational! That is faith. That is letting Jesus shine through you! That is living out Jeremiah 29:11, and it is beautiful!
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