"So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised."
Romans 10:35-36
I'm so not a runner but I do know plenty of people that are. And I can say I know the basics of running. I know that unless you are doing a short distance, sprinting would not be the best thing for you to do. When you are running a long race, you want to have a slow yet steady pace. You don't want to push yourself too hard too fast. If you do decide to go that route, in the end you might end up beating yourself up over it. But let's be honest, we've all been there before, at the starting line. Whether it's just in theory or in reality, the starting line can be so thrilling. Your heart beats fast and you have more than enough adrenaline running through your veins you think you could run 100 miles and be just fine. So what's the impulse to do? Start of sprinting out of the gates. But a trained professional runner of course would probably tell you that's not such a good idea. Because if you start out sprinting, chances are towards the middle you will become worn out sooner and quicker. But of course at the beginning, at the starting line, when you are sprinting you feel fantastic and like you could run forever......but we all know if you start off sprinting it's not going to last.
It's been 5 months now since our family starting out on the starting line. Everything was new and exciting. God placed an amazing opportunity in front of us, one that we had been praying about for quite some time before that. One our hearts had been begging for. And 4 months ago when Travis left to start work in another town we were energized. We knew this path was one that God placed before us. One that He had given us. We literally beamed whenever we talked about our future. We started off sprinting and I believe deep down in our hearts we thought we would continue to sprint to the finish line..... But of course God has something else in mind and here we are 4 months later stuck in the same place we were then.
Living in 2 different towns Monday-Friday. Trying to figure out how to stay connected as a family and trying to find a normal. Many days we remember God still have a plan for us and we know...we know in the end it will all work out the way he promised. But then there are days like today when I just feel disappointed. I feel lost and honestly I feel like somehow He has forgotten about us. And then He suddenly shows up. Not in the way I want Him to, the way I'm begging Him too....but in way where He whispers in my ear letting me know He's got this. I need not worry, I need not question Him. He's got this.
I decided for some reason to start a new book tonight. Haven't even finished my previous one but still decided to start it anyway. And there at the end of the Acknowledgements it says: Hebrews 10:35-36. So I decide not to be lazy and actually look it up. And BAM there He is waiting to draw me into His arms and give me comfort.....
"So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised."
Right now...in this moment, God doesn't want me sprinting. He doesn't want me growing tired and weary. He doesn't want me to think He's abandoned us or forgotten. Right now He wants me to have patient endurance and wait for what He has in store for us. And I know, even though I don't see it right now...even though I might not always feel like it's true...I know what He has in store for us is far far far greater than I will have ever imagined.
Is that you?? Are you waiting on God to show up?? Are you waiting for an answered prayer to happen?? If so I hope you find comfort in these verses as much as I did. Dear child of God He hasn't forgotten about you. He hasn't left you. He is just busy putting all the pieces into place to wow you. Trust me you won't believe that every single day, but you will have far better days knowing the truth in that.
And if you are reading this and needing prayer over that thing you are patiently waiting on, email me...message me...whatever and tell me how I can pray for you. There is power behind prayers and if there is one thing I've learned so far on our journey is that when you know someone is praying for you....like actually really truly praying for you....you can feel the strength that comes from that.
