“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” (Psalm 37:7, NASB)

This seems so simple to do and yet when in looking up the definitions of two words, it no longer was so simple.

• Rest –> “refreshing ease or inactivity.”
• Wait –> “to remain inactive until something expected happens.”

I find I can rest well for a time, but the wait … not so much.

The definition was eye-opening – “to remain inactive until something expected happens.” I asked myself, “Do I truly expect the Lord to do something?

The book asks: Is there a problem or concern that I would like to turn over to God’s keeping this day?

Let’s turn it over to His keeping and then wait expectantly for His happening.

May we realize anew that He is never hurried along by our impatience. More so, He hardly ever “happens” on our time schedule.

I loved the line in the author’s prayer regarding resting and waiting:

“I’m not truly sure that I truly know how to do that.”

(from Becoming A Woman Who Walks With God, Cynthia Heald, page 42)

Today may we pray for Him to show us how to rest and wait, for He knows what is best for us.

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Mid week had brought us two passages. First one:

“The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8, NASB)

The news each day, especially the last two years, can be so disheartening. The use of that word caused me to turn to the dictionary.

Disheartened >> “to depress the hope, courage, or spirits of another.”

And that is what can happen as we see all that is occurring around us – our hope is depressed, our courage diminished, or spirits weakened.

The verses we are reading today are exactly what we need to remind us our confidence is in God. He is with us. Always and ever.

The author asks: How can I be encouraged this day by the truth that the Lord “goes before me” to accomplish His purposes in my life?

May we remember His faithfulness to us. May we remember to “take courage” – it’s a command. It is what we are told to do in our second passage:

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NASB)

Stay encouraged! Be assured of His Presence with you!

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“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials …” (James 1:2, NASB)

I sat looking at those above words for a few minutes. “Consider it all joy”.

What does that mean exactly? Consider >> “deem it to be so; to believe so” (dictionary.com)

I can only speak for myself but I am not sure I always want to consider or deem trials as an opportunity for God to bring joy. I would rather have joy apart from the trial.

But then James continues to tell us these trials will grow us in ways to keep us from being deficient. They are meant to develop us in ways so we will be prepared for the future.

” … knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:3-4, NASB)

“Here on earth we overcome to fight again.”

(William Gurnall as quoted in Becoming A Woman Who Walks With God, page 54)

We take the lessons learned from one battle into the next battle. We are better prepared for the battle because we endured.

The book asks: What do I need to change in my life in order to begin to experience joy in the midst of trials?

I wonder if it is a change in perspective that is often needed.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the wisdom in this devotional and in Your Word. Help us to endure, to deem our trials as an opportunity to grow, thus developing us in ways we don’t even know. Help us to remember Your desire is for us to “be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” In Your Name we pray, Amen.

~*~*~

As we patiently wait for Him to act,
He fills us with His peace,
so we become perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

 

Photo 1 taken by: David Tommasino
Today I am joining … Tell His Story and InstaEncouragements .