Inside: As time drags on and it seems like nothing ever changes, it helps to remember a few key truths about faith, feelings and God’s faithfulness. ~
When it comes to faith, I often find it easier to trust God in the middle of my own struggles than it is to wait for Him to come to the rescue of someone I love.
I don’t know why this is. I just know that it happens
Maybe it’s because I don’t like to wait. I look up movie spoilers in the middle of the show. I always read the end of the book first.
Perhaps it’s a control or trust issue.
Only Human
Or maybe I’m just a finite human being who longs for a happy ending—and an easy way to get there. I’m guessing I’m not the only one, either.
We can’t make God answer our prayers in the way we want, when we want. We can’t force an outcome.
We might like to, but we can’t.
We also can’t make other people respond how we might respond—or how we think we might respond—to any given trial. While God offers only one way to salvation, He relates to each mind and heart in a unique way, much like any other loving parent interacts with his or her children individually.
What’s Taking So Long?
God’s plans for each of us are for our good. I believe this, and you probably do too.
Not in a cliche, pat-answer kind of way, but deep down—in that place where we trust His sovereignty even when the plans He unfolds don’t make any sense to us and might even seem to be the opposite of good.
But as time drags on and nothing changes—at least nothing that’s readily apparent—it’s easy to wonder.
What’s taking so long? What’s the point of all this? Is healing ever going to come?
Fickle Feelings
It’s possible these questions stem from doubt or a lack of faith. But often, they’re based on feelings, which are fickle. They ebb and flow, depending on all kinds of internal and external stimuli.
Faith, on the other hand, is based on a relationship with God, which is eternal.
I believe every word of Jeremiah 32:17: “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”
God could remedy in an instant the situations in which our loved ones find themselves. When He doesn’t, it makes us sad to see them struggling or suffering. To feel otherwise would be somewhat less than human, I think.
What Faith Is
And sadness does not indicate an absence or lack of faith. Faith has nothing to do with feelings, in fact. According to Hebrews 11:1, it’s “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
We can’t see what’s going on behind the curtain, but we do know there’s not a fake wizard back there. The God who is working in the lives of our loved ones is the same God who was with Jeremiah and all the other Old Testament prophets—the very same ones who wondered when God was going to act and yet wrote so eloquently about His compassion, protection, mercy and justice.
So while we keep praying for Him to move, let’s encourage our hearts with this truth: that “the God of all grace, who called [us] to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support [us] after you have suffered a little.” (1 Peter 5:10)
♥ Lois
Feelings ebb and flow, depending on all kinds of internal and external stimuli. Faith, on the other hand, is based on a relationship with God, which is eternal. Click To Tweet While God offers only one way to salvation, He relates to each mind and heart in a unique way, much like any other loving parent interacts with his or her children individually. Click To TweetP.S. I’m linking up this week with #tellhisstory, InstaEncouragements, Let’s Have Coffee and Grace & Truth.
30 comments
Oh, yes, it is so hard to wait for God to rescue our loved ones. Thank you for your words today. I feel more human. I proudly highlighted your blog post for Grace & Truth Featured Posts on my Pinterest board. You can see your article here— https://www.pinterest.com/embracingtheune/grace-truth-christian-link-up-featured-posts/.
Oh Maree, I know you understand this all too well. Thanks so much for sharing my post. I’m glad you felt more human after reading it. 🙂
This is very encouraging, Lois. I’m with you – I find it harder to watch a loved one suffering than to be in a hard place myself. Your words here made me think of the ways Paul prayed for others in the New Testament too – focused on their relationship with the Lord growing and deepening. So often, that comes through suffering!
So true, Bethany. Thanks so much for turning our thoughts toward Paul and the way he prayed for his friends and fellow believers. That’s such a good example for us to follow. Hugs, friend!
Lois, thanks so much for your encouraging post! It is hard to wait when you are praying for loved ones to return to Christ. Yet, we don’t have to worry because they are in His hands. He will work in His timing, not ours. I love this: “The God who is working in the lives of our loved ones is the same God who was with Jeremiah and all the other Old Testament prophets—the very same ones who wondered when God was going to act and yet wrote so eloquently about His compassion, protection, mercy and justice.” Amen. Blessings to you!
Good to hear from you this week, Gayl! Such an encouraging thought to remember that God works “in His timing, not ours.”
Lois, this is beautiful. You spoke to the heart of the matter here. Your words are like a balm for the heart.
Visiting today from Joanne’s
I’m so glad you were encouraged, Paula. Hugs to you, friend.
It is so hard to trust God with the lives of those we love. Yet when I remind myself that He loves them more than I do, and He knows and works in their best interests, I am moved to keep praying and keep trusting Him all the more. May the Lord keep His hand upon you and all your family.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Joanne. Your reminders to yourself about God’s work are encouraging to me as well.
I get this Lois, I prayed for two of my loved ones for 40 years before they stepped into God’s Kingdom!
The wait was difficult but the celebration ever so sweet!
I’m still praying for other loved ones & look forward to the sweet celebration to come.
God has them in the meantime & this I know well.
Blessings, Jennifer
Oh Jennifer … you are the picture of persistent prayer. Hugs, friend.
I can so feel your pain here Lois. God’s timing rarely coincides with ours, and the wait is excruciating. I have 2 prodigals for whom I have been praying for many years and see no sign of God’s work in their lives. Yet God reminds me, just as
I did not “see” His work in forming them in the womb, it didn’t mean He wasn’t forming them according to his good pleasure.
Walking a journey of faith when waiting for God to rescue a loved one, while hard, brings transformation to our hearts as well as theirs. Sending warm hugs your way my sweet friend.
Aw, Donna … what a precious reminder from God about how His formation of your loved ones began–and continues. I love the idea that the waiting process “brings transformation to our hearts as well as theirs.” Hugs back to you, friend.
Lois, I can feel your struggle here and I can identify with those questions – “What’s taking so long? What’s the point of all this? Is healing ever going to come?” It’s a comfort that God knows and He cares, and He sits right with us in our sadness and longing. And that He knows the depths of our loved ones’ hearts and needs. I love this reminder – “While God offers only one way to salvation, He relates to each mind and heart in a unique way, much like any other loving parent interacts with his or her children individually.” Love and blessings to you and your loved ones!
Oh Trudy … It’s such a comfort to remember that the God who made us knows us the best, isn’t it? Love and hugs to you, dear friend.
I’m with you on happy endings. I was recently in a book I thought I don’t know if I can finish this. Then I remembered the author always has good endings. That reminded me that if a human author can pull all of the challenges together, God will do it better.
Oh wow, Debbie … that’s such a wonderful thought! Did you end up like the ending of your book, though? 🙂
The larger our family grows and the older everyone gets, the more situations come up that require waiting, praying, sitting quietly, encouraging gently and trusting that God has all these loved ones, all these scary and unsettling scenarios right in His powerful hands. Knowing that He loves those I love in a much greater, deeper way and has their best interests in His powerful heart gives me such a peace I can’t even begin to describe.
Ah, Linda … it’s SO comforting to know other women who are further down the family road and are able to offer hard-won encouragement about God’s care and compassion for their loved ones. Thankful for you, dear friend.
I don’t the backstory of this situation, but I’m guessing that if it’s possible, you yourself are a source of encouragement to the person waiting for a rescue, whether in person or from afar. Watching the suffering of others is always excruciating. But having others who care and are willing to come alongside is of great value.
Aw, Lisa … you are so kind. I have personally experienced the value of “having others who care and are willing to come alongside” … it is such a gift and a blessing. Hugs, friend.
Yes, yes–we DO long for happy endings that bring on the joy and feel-good endorphins! Perhaps while we wait for the happy endings God is engineering, we can create joyful expectation, meditating on His attributes at work–the ones you mentioned, Lois: His compassion, protection, mercy and justice. Then we can add His love, grace, goodness, wisdom, faithfulness, and more. As you point out, our Heavenly Father is always at work restoring, establishing, strengthening, and supporting [us] (1 Peter 5:10). These (among others) are happy realities to review and affirm again and again!
Amen to all of this, Nancy! ♥️
It’s true that it’s easier to trust God in our own struggles than for others, especially our kids. I have to take by faith that God is working even when I don’t see evidence of anything going on. I’ve been pleasantly surprised sometimes to learn later some of the things He had been doing.
It’s encouraging to know you have seen examples of that, Barbara.
It does seem that God gives special grace to those who are going through trouble. And spectator grace doesn’t seem to be quite as plentiful…
Maybe it’s because we are so naturally self-centered that He has decided that it is good for us to feel someone else’s feelings for awhile?
That’s a good point, Michele. I suppose these different opportunities to grow in faith is like exercising different muscle groups … if we only worked out our legs the rest of us would atrophy. God knows what we need to flourish, doesn’t He?
This is so good, and very timely. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Ruth … so glad it was timely for you. ♥️