Waiting

Waiting:

I'm not sure I've ever met some who likes to wait. No one says, "I'm just going to wait over for as long as it takes and enjoy the waiting." Waiting is tied to patience...the nemesis of the western hemisphere...

In the immortal words of Ed Gruberman "Yeah, patience, how long will that take." (check Dr. Demento's "Boot to the Head" for reference).

On the other hand most of want what we want, and we want it now not later. The idea of waiting is completely contrary to the way most of look at life. And yet, most of us don't get what we want when we want it. We have to wait for it, or wait for the money for it, or wait to pay it off, if we do manage to get it now and not have to wait for it. That is the reality of life as we know it. But that is not the way God designed this world to work.

You get a great picture of this in Psalms. Just after what is perhaps the most famous of all Psalms, the 23rd, in which we are reminded, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." we see how difficult waiting is:

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it;" Psalm 24:1

"To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God." Psalm 25:1

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14

Sometimes waiting is the hardest to do when we need something. When we need God to speak. When we need to know his mercy. When we are desperately trying to trust in Him for something and all we here is: wait. Just wait.

What are you waiting for? What are you waiting on the Lord for today? What do you do when you're waiting? How does your trust in the Lord determine how you wait?

"but those who hop in the Lord will renew their strength. The will soar on wings like eagles; the will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

Contentment

A familiar conversation popped up over the last couple of weeks. Contentment. The concept of contentment seems to be lost in today's American society. No matter how much we have we always want more. In a time and culture that presumably have more "stuff" than any other time in history, we are left with an emptiness that we think can only be filled with "more".

Paul has an interesting take on what life looks like to be hungry, needy, thrown in jail, and still content.

"I am not saying this because I have am in need. I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances, whether meager or bountiful, where I find myself. I know how to survive in tight situations, and I know how to enjoy having plenty. In fact, I have learned how to face any circumstances: fed or hungry, with or without. I can be content in any and every situation through the One who is my power and strength." Philippians 4:11-13 (The Voice)

Can you be content no matter how much or how little you have? Or will you constantly want more, never really knowing satisfaction? When will we learn that "stuff" will never fill that void? That void that we feel of wanting more is only filled by one thing or more specifically by The One. We should want more of Him. We should desire more of the Grace of Jesus. We should be desperate for the Holy Spirit. When we desire relationship with Him more than anything else this world has to offer, then we find contentment. It is in Him that we find "power and strength" not for our glory, but for His!

Where have you searched for contentment? How did it leave you? How can you turn that desire for more towards your Heavenly Father?