HURRY UP AND WAIT

My daughter Jessica and I were hanging out on our porch the other night and when we came in a moth flew in with us. I was trying to shoo it back outside but it kept flying into the closed part of the sliding glass door, bouncing off it and flying back into it. I guess because he could see the outside he figured he should be able to get through not realizing it was glass. I was trying to get it to come to the other side, when Jess and I weren’t screaming because it was flying near us. I finally took the rod off the blinds to try and get the moth to land on it or coax it to the opened end of the door. I started talking to the silly moth saying “if you would just listen to me I can get you out.” I figured each time it hit the window so hard it had to be doing some kind of injury to it’s small body. I was getting frustrated that it kept flying around like a crazy moth and not allow me to lead him to the other side where he could fly right out.
I wondered how many times the Lord felt this way about me. Trying to get me somewhere but I wasn’t listening. Instead I was trying to figure it out on my own and bumping into closed doors. I would imagine every hit we make does some damage to us as well, our spirit, our mind and our confidence. Maybe some of these injuries could be avoided if we waited until we knew we heard God’s instructions. Many times things appear to be right but we can’t seem to get to our destination.
I remember when the Lord told me to leave the work place for a season. During this time I met a man that owned a Christian Café. There were no prices on the menu; it was all donations so if you had no money you could still eat. There was a box on the middle of the table you could put your donation in.
Since this was in my budget at the time I would stop in when I was in the area and usually prayed with or for someone that I met there. The owner asked if I wanted to waitress a few days a week and I could pray with people that came in. I figured it was a good idea since it was a Christian place and I could pray for people and make a few dollars. I was sure God would want me to do it so I said yes.
The first day I worked I saw quite a few people I knew and I had an opportunity to pray with them for healing, family issues, whatever they had a need for. When they left they told me they put my money in the box. I didn’t take any of the money and figured I would get paid the end of the week. The next day the same thing happened and again I went home with no money. The third day I walked in already to start playing the “praying waitress” but the owner met me at the door and said “the Health Department came by early this morning and shut us down.” He didn’t understand why as they had been there a few days earlier and everything was OK. As soon as He said it the Holy Spirit said “I never told you to work here.” He reminded me that the last thing the Lord told me was to not take a job.
I thought that since it was a Christian place and I was praying it had to be OK with God but the truth is I never asked God if I was supposed to take the job.
Needless to say I told the owner I would not be able to come back and needless to say he reopened the next day and I never did get paid.
We have to be careful not to help God along with His plan even if it looks like it’s a good idea.
Jeremiah 10:23 I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.
I don’t always understand but I have learned without a shadow of a doubt God does not need my help, even if I think His idea is taking too long.
Most people are familiar with Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
We like that verse but we have to remember sometimes we have to wait on those plans. It’s easy to trust God when you have clear direction or it appears you have control the test is when we have no control, no plan, no idea what to do next. This is when the rubber meets the road, following God even if it doesn’t seem to make sense to you. It’s in the waiting that character is built and your relationship is strengthened. I think of these times now as boot camp for my next God assignment.
If you find yourself frantically flying into what looks like open doors and people are giving you directions you can’t seem to take you may need to stop trying to help God. His plan will come in His timing.
Habakkuk 2:3 The vision is for a future time. It describes the end and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.
These are times we need to hurry up and wait on God. Like the Bible says,
Be still and know I am God. Psalm 46:10