Because his faith was not in what God would do for him, but in God Himself, Abraham was willing to risk. He could do whatever God asked. He wasn't holding on to a particular outcome. He was holding on to God. Abraham's waiting strengthened his faith. Taught him God's ways. Showed him God's faithfulness. Abraham knew that God would provide everything he needed.
I have the same assurance Abraham did - that God will provide everything I need. As I let that promise sink in, I see my waiting differently. Perhaps God is making me - and you - wait for the same reasons that He made Abraham wait: to forge our faith. To make us attentive to His voice. To deepen our relationship. To solidify our trust. To prepare us for ministry. To transform us into His likeness.
In retrospect, I realize that this is the most precious answer God can give us: wait. It makes us cling to Him rather than to an outcome. God knows what I need; I do not. He sees the future; I cannot. His perspective is eternal; mine is not. He will give me what is best for me when it it best for me. As Paul Tripp says, 'Waiting is not just about what I get at the end of the wait, but about who I become as I wait.'"
Candy's (further) thoughts: It would be so easy, after reading the above quote, to say "Easy for you to say! You are not dealing with {insert your own particular trial here}." But it certainly is NOT easy for Vaneetha Risner to say what she did. As a reminder, this is a woman who had 21 surgeries by age 13 due to polio, experienced immense grief at the death of child due to a physician's error, and underwent multiple miscarriages. She is presently dealing with a debilitating disease related to polio that will cause her to end up in a wheelchair unable to care for herself, and at one time was abandoned by her husband in the midst of all these afflictions and suffered through an unwanted divorce. So does she have some credibility in relating the lessons she has learned in her life? Oh yes.
I'm not sure I've ever met a person who 'enjoys' waiting. Whether it's in line at the grocery store or sitting in a doctor's office to hear the results of serious medical testing, most of us would opt out of delays if we had the choice.
But what if we could truly adopt what Vaneetha is recommending - an attitude adjustment about waiting? Wouldn't it change us, calm us, create hope in us to contemplate the 'eternal' significance of waiting upon God? Rather than waiting for that one prayer request to be granted - the removal of some particular suffering in our lives - wouldn't it be better to focus on the Promisor, and then on who we are becoming as our trials last longer than we desire?
May God grant us the ability to wait on Him as He waits on us to become more conformed to the image of His Son. Amen.
Speaking of Paul Tripp I am currently reading a book called "Forever" written by him in which he calls what we suffer from in our desire to have everything right now and not have to wait, "Eternal Amnesia". We forget that our satisfaction is not in the here and now, neither should we live with the expectation that our relationships will bring us everything we need in life, that is for God to fulfill. In the chapter I am on the subtitle is "Forever defines what love looks like", Paul is showing us the nature of Love. "First, love doesn't quit before the job is done. Love doesn't get mad or discouraged and contemplate bolting in the face of difficulty. You cannot read the Bible's origin to destiny story of redemption and not be deeply impressed with God's patience and perseverance," so there is patience in waiting, (my words). Then he goes on to say; "This will sound harsh, but I think it is true: many relationships are inhabited by quitters. We promise perseverance in difficulty, but don't keep the promise. We face discouraging and hurtful moments and tell ourselves that the relationship is over or was never what we thought it was in the first place, and we are on our way out." We hate to wait for God's timing and perfection (my words), "When we fail to meet one another's expectations, we curse one another with silence, beat one another with words, or shut ourselves off, refusing to be vulnerable and be hurt again." I have been in this place so many times I'm ashamed to admit it, (my words). Now here is the statement that really made me think hard about how much different our human thinking is then God's wisdom. "The exposure of all those failings is really a good thing. God is revealing our needs so that we will hunger for new and better. But sadly, often what was God's welcome to something better becomes our reason for quitting. Eternity reminds us that God simply refuses to quit until the job is done. That kind of love is vital to any healthy relationship." Then he has to say about the subject of suffering which none of likes to go through is heartbreaking to me because He is so unselfish and I am so selfish, Paul says; "Second, love is willing to suffer. Remember that God paved the pathway to eternity by willingly sacrificing his only Son. If God had been unwilling to suffer, there would have been no hope for us in this life, let alone the one to come!" (My words), We need to take our hopes and expectations off the things of this world, the people, our jobs, our homes, our material things, they are only temporal and will only disappoint us in the end. We should turn all of our hopes and expectations toward God only He can fulfill every need, then we can live in patience and suffering waiting for God to make the changes in our lives that will help us to be satisfied in our marriages, our jobs, etc. We need to live with Forever in mind it is biblical, it is the promise of our God and He does not go back on His promises. Debbi
ReplyDeleteYep - Paul Tripp is my favorite modern theologian. I just received his newest book entitled "Suffering" which is part autobiographical about a severe kidney problem for him that resulted in multiple surgeries and a near death experience. I can't wait to start the book.
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