Day 325: Patience My Love

Psalms 27:14
Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.
This past Sunday at church we talked about seasons, and sang a song called seasons. One of the main lyrics that stood out to me in this song was, “If you’re not done working, then God I’m not done waiting.” This struck a chord with me because it gave me a new perspective on waiting on God. When we are waiting on God we often wait as if we are waiting for our health. We wait because we sometimes think that God just wants to see how faithful we can be while we wait, and that is part of it. But sometimes we act as if God is only making us wait because He can, we act as of God is making us wait for no reason at all. But have we ever considered that the reason we are still waiting is because God is not done working? I must say that this never crossed my mind until this pat Sunday night when I heard this song. We often act as if we are only waiting on God to hand us a blessing when He is good and ready. But when God is done working that’s when it becomes ready.
I love the declaration that this song makes, “If you are not done working, then God I’m not done waiting.” That is to say, God as long as you are working on me and with me, I’ll be waiting. As long as you need to work I will be here patiently waiting for you to finish. Our problem is we want things prematurely, we want God to bless us when it’s not time or it not ready. We want God to use and send us before He’s done working on us. There is so much truth in the statement, “Good things come to those who wait.” I am taken back to the story of the prodigal son who did not want to wait for His inheritance but sought after and got it prematurely. He was not ready for such a blessing yet and we see that as he goes out and squanders all of his money. He comes back to His father with nothing but a lesson. He comes back knowing his mistakes. How many of us have tried to push God’s hand? How many times have we done something before we were ready. God is building us and molding us into the person He wants to be. He’s making us into the person He needs us to be in order to receive what He has for us. God loves us some much that even though He wants to bless us He wants to prepare us to be able to hold and sustain the blessings and riches He will hail upon our lives. It’s like He’s standing there saying, “Patience my love. I’m still working. Sometimes we're like little kids who want things that moment and we don’t want to wait but it’s like God is saying, “Patience, my child. I’m still working.” We just have to wait it out and receive what God is doing in us and for us in the meantime. We get so impatient with God sometimes because things don’t go how we think they should in the time frame we want them to be done. But I don’t know how many times I can say and stress that God’s timing is perfect! He has never been off, not even by a millisecond. He knows what He’s doing. Just trust the process.

All this to say, If God is not done working then we should not be done waiting!

Reflection
1. Have you ever been impatient with God?
2. Have you ever tried to push God’s hand?
3. Have you ever done something you weren’t ready for? If so what was the outcome?

Prayer Time
Allow your answers to the above questions guide your prayer today. Talk to God about patience and ask Him to help you with it.
I love you and I hope you have an amazing day or evening! Be sure to share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 326!

Day 291: Waiting for "The One"

Matthew 6:33

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

In our twenty’s we are coming to the age when we are either in long term relationships, dating, engaged, or married. The topic of relationships comes up a lot. Whether we are talking about the type of person we want to be with, the type of relationship we want, or even thinking about settling down and starting a family. Whatever it may be, I think it is time we have a mature conversation about this subject that seems to be glossed over so much. This is something that has constantly been coming up in my conversations recently. Everyone is looking for that one person we can spend the rest of our lives with, however when we are in Christ we are waiting for that person. We are waiting for whoever it is God has for us, and trust me there’s someone out there that God has chosen specifically for you, and you have been chosen specifically for someone else. God is great, on top of everything He does, He’s also the ultimate matchmaker. It’s great, it’s beautiful. There is so much peace in knowing that we do not have to go out looking for the right person because God already has them picked out, and whoever this person is will be far beyond what we ever expected. However there are a few questions I would like to pose and a few points to make.

Are we seeking a relationship with God more than we are seeking a earthly relationship with someone? We can get so caught up sometimes in wanting to be with someone, liking someone, or just wanting to be in a relationship that we forget about the first relationship we need to be in. In order for us to have a good and stable relationship with anybody else we must have a good and stable relationship with God. Sometimes we are going after people that are no good for us, we are going after people that we are not meant to be with, because we are more focused on them than we are on God. That presents a problem The scripture tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to us. There’s a pattern to life and it always involves keeping God first and then watching everything fall into place. So if we want a relationship if we want that person that God has for us, we cannot look outside of Him. We must be so wrapped up in Christ that our significant other has to find Christ to find us. What I’m saying is, Jesus is our first love and will always be our first love. Before we fall in love with anyone else we must fall in love with Him first.  

Genesis 2:18

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

I love the scripture in genesis as it ends with the statement, “I will make him a helper fit for Him.”  Sometimes we settle for people that do not fit us, We settle for people not just because we’re lonely but because they have what we think we want. They have the whole package according to our standards. But what about God’s standards? What about His plan? We must get to a point where we are not willing to sacrifice our faith for pleasure. Where we are so rooted in our faith where we don’t want to be near anything that could jeopardize that. I was recently talking to a friend about what I want from a relationship, and the first thing is they have to love Jesus, I want someone that will love me, but love Jesus so much more, and that’s not something I am willing to sacrifice. No matter how attractive they are, or how many standards they meet, I am not willing to sacrifice my faith for a relationship with someone. I would rather wait and move on God’s timing. He knows the plan, He knows when we are going to meet that person. God knows the exact moment it will happen. But in the meantime, while we wait, let’s work on our relationship with Him. Let’s work on fitting into the will of God before trying to fit someone into our will.

While we wait god is molding and shaping us into the people He has called us to be. He is taking out the things that should be there, and teaching us to walk like Christ. Leading us down this road called life. God has work to do on us before He sends the person He has destined for us to spend the rest of our lives with. He isn’t going to send us into this relationship with baggage, He won’t allow us to ruin what He is putting together.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited, does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

One of my favorite things to talk about is love, Not just romantic love, but love in general, because it is so beautiful. Love is so powerful. I just love, love. I think it is the best thing we have. Because God is the best thing we have and God is love. With that being said, we are talking about love in a romantic way today. God teaches us how to love properly, He teaches us how to love people, and ultimately how to love our significant others. The scripture above is a definition of what love is, before we get into a relationship with anyone we must know what love is, we must know how to love. Love requires patience, kindness, forgiveness, it is not conceited, envious, or boastful. When we read the above scripture we see just how beautiful love is. This is the way God wants us to love our partners. The way He has called us to love any and everyone.

All this to say, God has a special someone out there for all of us. Let’s not let our loneliness or want to be in a relationship blind us from what God is doing. Some of us may have to wait longer, but no matter how long the wait is, it will be so worth it.

Reflection

1. Are you waiting for the person God has for you or are you settling for what you want?
2. What is your perfect person? Describe them, ideally what and who would they be?
3. Are you willing to sacrifice your faith to get that person?
4. Are you seeking a relationship with God more than you are seeking a relationship with someone else?

Prayer Time

Allow your answers to the aboves questions guide your prayer. Have a conversation with God about what we discussed today. Then pray for your future spouse, whoever it is God has for you, pray for that person, even though you don’t know who they are yet. Trust me someone is out there praying for you too.

When you have the chance listen to the song Dear No One by Tori Kelly. It’s a beautiful song about waiting on who God has for you.

I love you and I hope you have an amazing day or evening! Be sure to share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 292!

Day 266: Our Set Time

Galatians 4:1-2

Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set.

We all have a set time that God has set for us, and it’s perfect. One thing we all know is that God is constantly working in our lives and providing for us. We know that He has something great in store for each and every one of us and it’s only a matter of time before we get it. It’s a matter of time before He releases it upon us. You ever had a feeling that God is doing something in your life? Something great and big but you have no idea when it’s coming. He’s stirring the pot and eventually it’s going to boil over in the best way possible. But first, we have to wait, there’s patience involved. We have to learn to be patient and trust in His timing. I mean the very concept of time was created by Him. I love how the scripture states that the children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up. Even though they already own everything, they will not receive it until they’ve grown up. I feel like sometimes God is telling us to wait a little longer so we can mature a little more. He’s teaching us as we go, He’s making us into the people He wants to be so that whenever we receive what God has for us, we will be ready. I think the father in this passage knew something that the young children didn’t. He knew that there would be a time when they would be ready for the inheritance. The inheritance was ready for them they just weren’t ready for the inheritance. The father was like, you have to grow up, you have to mature some, you have to live life a little and when you finally get it, you will appreciate it so much more. You ever look back on your life and thank God for doing what He did when He did it? It’s in these moments that we find just how perfect God’s timing is. How He sets us right where we need to be exactly when we need to be there. It’s crazy. God has everything we ever dreamed or wanted, sitting in His hands; but first we have to grow, first we have to be moulded a bit more, first we have to go through life a little bit. It’s like He’s looking down and saying you’re not ready yet, I have a set time for you and when you get to the place I need you to be I will have everything you need. It’s like he has a map and only He knows the route to the destination and He’s guiding us through it. He knows where we have to go and what we have to do to get to the place He needs us to be. The route is preparing us, and sometimes it takes longer than others but there’s a guarantee that we’ll get there exactly when we’re supposed to be.   

I think sometimes we spend too much time comparing our journey to someone else’s. We look at how God has blessed others and we start to wonder why ours is taking so long. Don’t look at someone else’s blessings and say why I don't have mines yet. We don’t know how long that person has waited, how bloody the knees are from constant praying. Then it all goes back to the set time that God has for each of us. We may know know what that time is but we know for sure that’s it’s perfect.

All this to say, we each have a set time that God has set for us. We don’t know when this time is but we will know when we’ve arrived. However, in the meantime, let’s enjoy the journey. Let’s draw closer to Him as He draws us closer to our blessings. Let’s dig deeper into and take the time to grow while He is working on what cannot be seen.

Response/Prayer Time

Take the time to respond to what we discussed today. Talk to God about what that inbetween time looks like, pray about trusting in His timing.

I love you and I hope you have an amazing day or evening! Be sure to share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 267!

Day 244: Not Everything is Everlasting

Ecclesiastes 3:1

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

Revelation 3:7

Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open:

I know many of us have heard these two scriptures a multitude of times, and I want to talk about them today. I want to talk about the fact that not everything in our lives are meant to last. Not everything is forever or everlasting, no matter how much we want it to be. Sometimes God closes doors in our lives to open others. Sometimes people walk out of our lives or relationships fade because they were only meant to be there for a season. We must learn to realize and honor these moments. I feel as humans we hold on so tight to things that we won’t even let our hands open to God. Sometimes we hold onto things so tight, not wanting to let go while at the same time not realizing, trusting or understanding that God has something greater in store. Sometimes He needs our hands to be empty in order to fill them completely. Sometimes as humans we are so hesitant to let go of a good thing because we don’t know when it’s going come around again. We are afraid because we are not trusting that God has something greater. We are not trusting in Him, His timing or His word. God always has something greater for us, we just have to trust Him. We have to trust His process.

With that being said, sometimes God closes doors, and no matter how hard we try we cannot open them. This does not mean God is punishing us, all it means is, either it’s not the right time or there’s a better door. Everything God does, He does for a reason, He’s not going to leave us empty handed or stranded. He always has a plan. I feel like many times we decide something isn’t for us before we give it a chance because we are so focused on our own plans. I know we all think that we know what’s best for ourselves but trust me when I say God knows much more, we’re not even scratching the surface. So we must trust Him with every area of our lives. Even our relationships.

Now this is a big one, relationships. I don’t just mean romantic relationships, I mean every type of relationship. There’s couple of quotes I’d like to reference here,

“Some people aren’t meant to be in our lives forever. Some are just passing through to teach us a lesson.”

-Unknown

“Some people come into your life as blessing, others come in your life as lessons”

-Unknown

The main point I’m trying to make here, is that even people have seasons in our lives. Some people are only meant to be in our lives for a season. We go wrong when we try to make seasonal people permanent. Meaning we could very well be holding on the very thing that God Himself is trying to break apart. Sometimes we are so caught up in our feeling that we try to force everlasting on temporary. This will only end in heartbreak. Trust me I know from experience, however God even uses the heartbreak to shape and mould us into the person He has always destined for us to be. So somehow someway God will keep us in His will.   Having people in our lives for just a season is not always a bad thing, what it means is that where we are going some people cannot go and where others are going we cannot go. It’s not just about us either, we have to be willing to let people go not just for our sake but for theirs. We know when someone’s season is up, we just feel it, so let’s not force it to continue knowing it’s over. We have to realize that sometimes we are only meant to be in a person’s life for a season, and be okay with that. This is not to say that nothing is everlasting, it is, just not everything.

All this to say, not everything is meant to last forever and that is okay. It’s life. We must learn how to let go when it’s time to let go. As well as trust God with where our lives are going and where He is taking us. We must keep a loose grip on our plans and understand that God’s plans are always greater than ours. Trust Him with everything you are and all you aspire to be.

Reflection

1. How hard is it to let go for you?
2. Have you had (or currently have) people in your life that you know was only meant to be there for a season?
3. Do you trust God’s timing?
4. Do you trust God with your life?

Prayer Time

Allow your answers to the above questions guide your prayer. Talk to God about the seasons and seasonal people in your life. Have an honest conversation about what it looks like to completely trust Him.

I love you and I hope you have an amazing day or evening. Be sure to share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 245!

Day 96: Let's Talk About It- "Single and Waiting on God"

Today’s devo is dedicated to all the single people out there in their twenties, and waiting on God,

At this age we are going through changes, many changes, and some of those changes means trying a hand at being single or making the choice to wait on God. We are entering the age where family starts to ask us about marriage, and we start seeing our friends married and in happy relationships, and sometimes you wonder when it’s your turn. As someone who is single and has been for a while, I’m enjoying life as a single woman, and choosing to wait on God but if I’m being honest, there are times when I’m just like, God can I have someone? Can I just go on a date or something?

There is beauty in being single and waiting on God, but I also want you to know that it will not last forever. There are a few topics of discussion today.

Being Single is a time to devote ourselves more to God.

While we are waiting on God to send us whoever it is that HE has for us, it is a time to not only find ourselves but find ourselves in Christ.

Paul talks about the advantages of being single in 1 Corinthians 7:32-34,

I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord.  But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife,  and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband.

We are almost always in this state of preparing for marriage. This isn’t the time to do that, we can do that when we’re engaged and going through premarital counseling. Now is the time to get lost in God. Now is the time to enjoy being by ourselves and learning how to be alone without being lonely.

This is the time where we can dedicate our entire beings to the Lord, where we do not have to worry about someone else but we can just worry about our relationship with God. When we are single the best relationship is the one we have with God. I remember someone saying, “I want to be so lost in God, that my husband has to find God to find me.” We all want that happy ending, most of us want to be married one day and have a family, and we will get there. But use the time before it comes to build a solid foundation within the Lord. We have to focus on building a relationship with God before we can build it with anyone else.  We cannot really build a healthy relationship with anyone else until we find ourselves planted in Christ.

Being single is sometimes hard

I am well aware of how hard it is to be single sometimes. Most of the time it’s good, we are enjoying life without the worries of being attached to anyone. We are enjoying building friendships and platonic relationships. We’re enjoying finding ourselves and learning more about ourselves everyday,  but some days it’s just hard not to be lonely. A lot of times this loneliness is brought on by sexual urges, and let me tell you, they will blindside you. We have to make sure that we are covered with the full armor of GOd, because these ditches of temptation are the hardest to jump over.

Matthew 5:27-28

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart”

While we may not be married or in a relationship with anyone we are in a committed and devoted relationship with God. Therefore our eyes must stay on Him, They have to because if they don’t they will start to wonder and who knows where our minds will end up. I know from experience.

Sometimes we think that our eyes are excluded from being sinful, it’s what we see that gets us all hot and bothered. Our eyes will get us into a lot of trouble.  

Now, I’m not telling you to close your eyes whenever you see someone attractive from the opposite sex. There is nothing wrong with being attracted to someone. We have eyes, and we can appreciate the beauty upon this earth, and sometimes that beauty is another person. What I’m saying is stay away from lust. We can acknowledge someone’s beauty and keep it pushing, when we start to look at them sexually that’s when it becomes a problem. It’s so easy to fall into, but we cannot allow these sexual desires and lustful eyes take root within us or we will end up doing things we'll regret.

Please note that Jesus was single, and if He did it so can we.

It will come, don’t worry about it.

My family asks me all the time if I think I’m going to get into a relationship soon, and my answer is always, “I don’t know, right now I’m enjoying being single.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens

God’s timing is perfect, perfect. You will meet the right person at the right time. I think we get caught up sometimes in the plans we have for our own lives, and comparing our lives to the people around us that we forget what God is doing within us. We see our friends in relationships and even getting married. Family is starting to put pressure on us, and we want to try to rush God. If we just wait it out we will see God’s plan unfold right before our eyes. We are not single for no reason, Go wanted us to be alone at this point in time, and the reason might be different for all of us. But one thing is for sure is that when the time is right God will send that perfect person our way. God knows exactly who we will spend our life with, He knows the person, the moment we will meet, all the details. The best part about waiting on God is that, He is the best match maker ever. Every pairing he makes will be perfect. We just have to trust His timing and in the meantime enjoy our time with Him alone.

Reflection/ Prayer Time

Talk to God about whatever stood out to you today. If you are single and waiting on God, talk to God about diving deeper into a relationship with Him. Whatever is on your heart today, lay it your to Him and be honest.

I love you! I hope you have an amazing day or evening. Make sure you share this with someone and talk about it. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for Day 97!