Day Six

Thanksgiving in the Wait

There are some things in life that can put you on a roller coaster of emotions.  Waiting to find out if you're pregnant... waiting for the doctor to tell you your diagnosis... waiting on your house to sale... waiting on a phone call about a job...

We were in such a place the other day.  My husband had just had his third and final interview with a company and we were waiting to hear the news.  Throughout the whole interview process, things had been lining up perfectly; so perfect, in fact, that I had no doubt that it was going to work out.  Yet, we waited and waited for a call that didn't come.  Waiting on that phone call started to consume me and my emotions were all over the place.  I came to the realization that we might, in fact, have to keep going down this jobless road --that this job really might not be the one... and at that moment that was just 'unacceptable'...  I was thinking, 'really, Lord???'

While waiting on the Lord for His timing can be excruciatingly difficult, life's biggest lessons are most often learned in his waiting room.  Faith-building lessons of the holiest sort.  We are learning by experience what it means to trust Him for our 'daily manna', for daily manna just happens to be His strong suit.  We have been keeping a thankful journal and we are up to ninety-one ways the Lord has provided for us so far on this journey.  We're truly speechless by all the ways we are watching God come through for us.  He definitely has our back, that's for sure.

Last night during our small group time of discussing Francis Chan's book 'Crazy Love', the subject  was about putting yourself in a position where God has to show up.  Well, we are definitely in that position--we are not in that position by choice--but we are in that position right now.  But what is miraculous to me is what my husband and I were able to say about it... We both said we would not change anything about these last three months.  Not one thing.  In fact, we both adamantly agree that it has been the biggest blessing of our life.

Whether He provides through this particular job or not, it is okay.  It is not 'unacceptable'.  In fact, it is more than okay; it is a beautiful provision from Him because it is teaching us to wait.  We will continue to wait.  Our hope is not in a job.  It is in Him!  Whether this job is offered or not--we will praise the Lord, because He alone is worthy to be praised!

Dear Father,

Your Word tells me that 'in the morning, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly (Ps. 5:3).'  I lay the request of ____________________ before You, believing your promise that 'when I wait for you; you will answer (Ps. 38:15).'  As I wait for You, LORD, I will be strong and take heart; You are my help and my shield (Ps. 27:14 and Ps. 33:20).  I wait for You LORD, my whole being waits, and in your Word I put my hope (Ps. 130:5).  I know You long to be gracious to me; therefore You will rise up to show me compassion.  For You, LORD are a God of justice.  Blessed are all who wait for You (Is. 30:18)!  Lord, we are expectantly waiting on You to show up at the Deeper Still conference!  We are waiting with anticipation and with great faith!  We pray that you will ascend amid shouts of joy, amid the sounding of trumpets...as we sing praises to You, our King, as we sing praises!  You are the king of all the earth, You reign over the nations; You are seated on your holy throne...You are greatly exalted (Ps. 47:5-9)!  Nothing is too hard for You,  for You are El Hannora, the Awesome God! 

In your powerful son's name we pray,
Amen. 

***if you didn't get to read the post below (Persistence in Prayer), I urge you to read it--it is a beautiful story about the power of prayer!***