Monday, October 18, 2010

Be Strong and Take Heart




“Wait for the Lord, be strong and have heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

Over the past couple of months, I’ve realized that the Lord is preparing me for a season of change. Little by little, bit by bit, He is revealing His plan. It’s kind of hard, though, to know only part of the plan.

I have the type of personality that when big changes are coming, I need all the information. I need to be able to formulate my plan of “attack”—lists, schedules, you know the deal. A good example is this looming Hawaii trip. I know we’re moving. Yet, other than going through my household to get rid of trash and other items we no longer need. I can’t plan much else. My husband has all this stuff that has to be completed before he can get his orders cut and we can start making plans. It’s driving me nuts!

God works the same way as the Army sometimes.

We know from the Bible that, like the Army, we are on a need to know basis with God. He has a plan, and if we’re willing, He will use us. When He has something for us to do, He may disclose a small part of what’s in store, in order that we can start making the appropriate changes in our life.

In the Old Testament, God told Abraham that He would bless him with a son—yet that didn’t happen until twenty-five years later. In the New Testament, God had a plan for Saul (who later became Paul), and incited a change in him, even though it was years later before He sent Paul to the Gentiles.

In this verse, we are not only told to wait on the Lord, but to be strong and have heart while we do so. This is the part most of us struggle with. It can be frustrating and discouraging to wait—but it really shouldn’t be. God wants us to be strong and have heart because He has something in store for us—something better than we can imagine.

I know something big awaits me in Hawaii, and I know God has used the past couple of months, and will use the next couple of months, to prepare me. I’m not fretting over what that “big thing” is, instead, I’m using this time to deepen my relations ship with the Lord, letting Him shape my life to fit His plan so that when my time comes, I’ll be ready.

Are you waiting? What have you done to stay strong and take heart?

4 comments:

  1. What a good post. It is difficult being a miliatry wife-- I did it a few years and I know it was hard. God bless you.
    I related to this post because three years ago, we lost everything that meant something to us. My husband's career, my only child moved married and moved away and a close relative. Our lives are upside down and we wonder and pray and hope that God will reveal more of his plan for us. Initially, I thought our trial would be short and fast. Wrong! LOL. Like you said, the time can be so much longer and the waiting and hoping turns hard some days. But my trust is in the Lord and I know his plan is perfect.

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  2. Hi Ralene...What a wonderful post. Its absolutely motivating. I am glad I came across your blog. I hope everything goes well for you.

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  3. How exciting about Hawaii! I absolutely love Hawaii. Have you been before? I've been a ton of times, so if you have any questions I'd love to answer them!

    And yes, the Lord has been prodding my heart regarding change as well. I try not to doubt him, but it's all the waiting that starts to break me.

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  4. I'm glad God reveals His plans on a need to know basis. Many times if I would have known all the details I probably would have tried to beat it out of town like Jonah :-)

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