Finding Hope and Blessings in God’s Timing
Waiting can be a real test of patience, especially in our fast-paced world where everything seems to be just a click away. But you know what they say - good things come to those who wait. And trust me, God knows how to make us wait.
Think about it - we live in a culture of instant gratification. We want our fast food, our express checkout lanes, and our next-day Amazon deliveries. Waiting is not exactly our strong suit. Yet, time and again, the Lord puts us in the waiting room of life. It's like He's saying, "Hold up, my child. I've got something better for you, but you'll have to wait a bit."
Battles Lost and Victories Won
In the book of Ezra, the rebuilding of the temple faced opposition from both within and without. Countless attacks and attempts to infiltrate the workforce eventually led the enemy to approach the king, arguing that the temple's reconstruction would be detrimental to business. Their persuasive argument resulted in a government decree to cease, bringing the work to a standstill for over 15 years.
I can relate to how the Israelites felt during that time. Since we received news about the government questioning the validity of our sponsorship and the pending outcome of our appeal, our ministry here in Wales has had to pause temporarily.
How Do You Deal With Life’s Interruptions?
I stared at the question on my computer screen and laughed out loud. Since I sat down to prepare for my Bible study lesson, I have had numerous phone calls, text messages, and other disturbances. How do I deal with interruptions? If my growing annoyance and frustration with others are any indication, not very well, it would seem.
How about you? How do you handle rained-out picnics, canceled vacations due to family illness, or guests showing up on your one quiet night, surprising you with their impromptu visit and expectations of dinner? How do you react when the dog doesn’t quit barking, the kids won’t quit fighting, the boss won’t quit complaining, and the world around you won’t stop asking for more of you?
The “Souper” Secret Ingredient
On Thursday evening, we had some friends over to celebrate our one-year anniversary in Wales and also to plan out our events for the upcoming year. I decided to make my vegetable beef soup in the crockpot even though that was the meal I prepared for them the last time they were over. They enjoyed it enough the previous time that they had asked for the recipe.
As we enjoyed the hot soup Thursday, our friends confessed that they had tried to replicate it themselves, but theirs wasn’t as good. I told them the lesson my dad had taught me long ago. When making soups or chilis, the secret ingredient is time.