Sometimes I wonder how many blessings from God we forfeit because we don’t trust Him to care for us. I have considered this a lot, especially because our family is in this prolonged season of transition.
Many who look at our situation might ascertain that we have caused delay…which we haven’t…or that we are dragging our feet…which we aren’t…because we have still not been able to move forward in our journey toward moving to Arkansas.
What has actually been happening, is that God has been leading us…and because we trust Him and His promise to care for us…we are not pushing past Him. We are waiting.
The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn’t believe His promise to care for them. Instead, they grumbled in their tents and refused to obey the Lord. Psalm 106:24-25
Waiting is a highly controversial thing to do, apparently. In a world of quick gratification and instant access to most things, learning the art of waiting is very aggressive. I also have to fight the fear of man displayed in misunderstanding. I know that some people judge a few of the things we have stepped away from, and believe our motivations in doing so, are different than what they actually are. But God is moving me away from the fear of being misunderstood. He is breaking those chains off my life, and He is using this process to do so.
In this season, being misunderstood is an exchange I’m making in order to obey God.
Even when I run into people who I know don’t understand us and have negative thoughts toward us because of our changes…I’m learning to just walk away…I don’t have to explain myself. This is a HUGE victory for me because I have always felt the need to explain myself. What God has shown me is that I don’t owe anyone anything. All I have to do is follow Him.
At the end of the day, two of the most valuable things I’ve learned over this season are this…
Being misunderstood isn’t the end of the world. I don’t really want people in my life who always think the worst of me. I want to draw closer to people who believe the best for me.
And…I would rather live in an extended period of transition than to run ahead of the Lord or forfeit our pleasant land. He will do what He said He would do. I believe Him…and I believe that He wants the best for me.
Do you see?
When we worry about the things I listed, we are actually doing the same thing to God.
Ask yourself these questions…
Do you trust God enough to be misunderstood? Do you trust God enough to wait on Him?
So, God has given both His promise and His oath. These two things are unchangeable because, it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Hebrews 6:18-19
365 Days in the Presence 