Hey everyone…the last couple of entries have detailed some of the frustrations that Rebecca and I have been experiencing. We know and trust that God will be faithful in providing for this call. We know that what God demands, he provides…BUT, we are still lame, and we get caught up in the details and the “now”, rather than strive towards the end goal. We forget that God’s timing is perfect…
One of the administrators at AAE (where Rebecca and I are currently working) sent the following devotional to Rebecca and I yesterday…I’d like to share it with you;
"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!" Habakkuk 2:3 (LB)
"We all have to go through these waiting periods. Even Jesus waited for thirty years in the carpenter's shop before setting out on his public ministry.”
Even as you make a decision to follow the dream God places in your heart, you can expect a delay. God will not fulfill your dream immediately because this is another step toward building your faith.
In Habakkuk 2, God says, "These things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled.”
In this step of faith-building you will most likely start asking the question, "When, Lord? When are you going to answer my prayer?"
And we hate to wait. We don't like to wait in a doctor's office, or in traffic jams, or at restaurants, or for Christmas presents, or for anything else. But what we hate worst of all is waiting on God.
Have you ever been in a hurry when God wasn't? It's so irritating! You're ready, but God isn't. God wants to work on you before he works on the project. Every believer must go through the University of Learning to Wait (ULW). Some of us are still working on our degrees from ULW!
Noah waited 120 years from the time he started building the ark until it began to rain.
Abraham was told he would be the father of a great nation and didn't have a child until he was ninety-nine.
God told Moses he would be the leader to lead his people out of four hundred years of slavery, but then made him wait in the desert forty years. Joseph spent years in prison before God raised him up and he became the ruler God wanted him to be. God had David anointed as king, but then David waited for years until he actually got to be king.
We all have to go through these waiting periods. Even Jesus waited for thirty years in the carpenter's shop before setting out on his public ministry.
Why do we wait? It teaches us to trust in God. We learn that his timing is perfect. One of the facts we have to learn is this: God's delay never destroys his purpose.
A delay is not a denial. Children must learn the difference between "no" and "not yet," and so must we. Many times we think God is saying, "No," but he is saying, "Not yet."
It was great to be reminded that this is all happening on God’s timing. I start to get frustrated because we haven’t raised all our support yet…but then…
I spoke with Sharesa, our recruiter on Tuesday. She wanted to know how we were doing on our support raising and how our packing was going. I shared with her how we have kinda stalled out and how we were somewhat overwhelmed trying to balance our jobs with the end of the school year, and our support raising. She was very supportive and encouraging…
I woke up on Wednesday morning at 4:00 or so in the grips of a full-blown panic attack…not sure what brought it on or what I was specifically worrying about. Anyways, I realized that I was definitely in need of a serious prayer session. So as I lay in bed praying, fully surrendering to His plan and lifting up friends, family, and our own worries to God, I became overwhelmed with a sense of peace. Peace and reassurance that going to serve in Vienna is our calling.
That very afternoon (yesterday) I was told by 4 separate people that they were deciding to support us on a monthly basis and contacted by a church to speak. Yesterday was an encouraging day!
I wonder what this means for us, though. Are we to wait years for the funds to roll in? Haven’t we really already been waiting for years for this call? Rebecca and I have known that this call into the foreign mission field is for us for quite a few years…so is this devotional that much of an encouragement? YES!! Of course it is! We believe that God’s plan for us includes serving at an international Christian school, and based on who HE is, this will happen…just not sure on the timing.
One of the administrators at AAE (where Rebecca and I are currently working) sent the following devotional to Rebecca and I yesterday…I’d like to share it with you;
God will not fulfill your dream immediately
By: Rick Warren
"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!" Habakkuk 2:3 (LB)
"We all have to go through these waiting periods. Even Jesus waited for thirty years in the carpenter's shop before setting out on his public ministry.”
Even as you make a decision to follow the dream God places in your heart, you can expect a delay. God will not fulfill your dream immediately because this is another step toward building your faith.
In Habakkuk 2, God says, "These things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled.”
In this step of faith-building you will most likely start asking the question, "When, Lord? When are you going to answer my prayer?"
And we hate to wait. We don't like to wait in a doctor's office, or in traffic jams, or at restaurants, or for Christmas presents, or for anything else. But what we hate worst of all is waiting on God.
Have you ever been in a hurry when God wasn't? It's so irritating! You're ready, but God isn't. God wants to work on you before he works on the project. Every believer must go through the University of Learning to Wait (ULW). Some of us are still working on our degrees from ULW!
Noah waited 120 years from the time he started building the ark until it began to rain.
Abraham was told he would be the father of a great nation and didn't have a child until he was ninety-nine.
God told Moses he would be the leader to lead his people out of four hundred years of slavery, but then made him wait in the desert forty years. Joseph spent years in prison before God raised him up and he became the ruler God wanted him to be. God had David anointed as king, but then David waited for years until he actually got to be king.
We all have to go through these waiting periods. Even Jesus waited for thirty years in the carpenter's shop before setting out on his public ministry.
Why do we wait? It teaches us to trust in God. We learn that his timing is perfect. One of the facts we have to learn is this: God's delay never destroys his purpose.
A delay is not a denial. Children must learn the difference between "no" and "not yet," and so must we. Many times we think God is saying, "No," but he is saying, "Not yet."
It was great to be reminded that this is all happening on God’s timing. I start to get frustrated because we haven’t raised all our support yet…but then…
I spoke with Sharesa, our recruiter on Tuesday. She wanted to know how we were doing on our support raising and how our packing was going. I shared with her how we have kinda stalled out and how we were somewhat overwhelmed trying to balance our jobs with the end of the school year, and our support raising. She was very supportive and encouraging…
I woke up on Wednesday morning at 4:00 or so in the grips of a full-blown panic attack…not sure what brought it on or what I was specifically worrying about. Anyways, I realized that I was definitely in need of a serious prayer session. So as I lay in bed praying, fully surrendering to His plan and lifting up friends, family, and our own worries to God, I became overwhelmed with a sense of peace. Peace and reassurance that going to serve in Vienna is our calling.
That very afternoon (yesterday) I was told by 4 separate people that they were deciding to support us on a monthly basis and contacted by a church to speak. Yesterday was an encouraging day!
I wonder what this means for us, though. Are we to wait years for the funds to roll in? Haven’t we really already been waiting for years for this call? Rebecca and I have known that this call into the foreign mission field is for us for quite a few years…so is this devotional that much of an encouragement? YES!! Of course it is! We believe that God’s plan for us includes serving at an international Christian school, and based on who HE is, this will happen…just not sure on the timing.
Mike, I am happy to see that, in the midst of waiting on God, that He is teaching you to trust in Him more and more. We love you and Rebecca and Justin so much, and continue to pray for you.
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