Call it what you want—the desert…a time of waiting…the land
between—it’s all a time of not knowing the future.
This time of waiting is a time of growth—uncomfortable,
stretching, and learning to trust without seeing growth. I know that. I believe
it. I’ve even written about it.
Perhaps I’m just plain tired, because I see God’s blessings
along the way. Really, I do.
But, sometimes what I know to be true doesn’t make it to the
rest of me. I get tired of waiting and praying the same prayers over and
over…because I don’t know what else to pray.
Some days are just
hard…
Knowing God has a plan, but not being able to see past
today.
Trusting God will
bring good out of a trying time, but unable to fathom what that good might be.
Waiting for God’s work in a situation, but still not
seeing any change.
So, if I believe and trust, shouldn’t I be able to wait
patiently? Maybe. On the good days. But on the tougher days, the emotions take
over—weariness, worry, sadness, fear, even anger.
These emotions can be overpowering, and some days, I simply
can’t battle them on my own (no matter how hard I try).
God created us with human emotions. He knows how powerful
they can be….and He knows when we need help to control them. But so often, we
don’t turn to Him first.
As I tried to work my way out of a bad mood earlier this week, I decided
there are a few steps to take when I’m feeling stuck between now and when Lord?!?
* Take it to God right away. Remind yourself
of His promises and spend time reading His Word. Ask Him to show you why you’re
feeling so emotional. Pray for guidance in dealing with the emotions before
they become overwhelming and for peace in the situation. Make a list of
Scripture verses that lift you up when you’re feeling down, and keep adding to
the list.
* Consider what other factors might be influencing how
you feel. I think everything seems worse when I’m tired, hungry, or
not feeling well. If I’m physically drained, my emotional strength and patience
are also diminished. Sometimes, I just have to recognize that I’m tired and
weary and today is not the day to dwell on anything I don’t have to think
about.
* Find a distraction…something that will change your
focus. It might be reading your Bible, listening to uplifting music,
or calling a friend. Even running errands or helping a neighbor can change your
frame of mind. Whatever can help to change your thinking—do it.
* Try to look at the situation from a different
perspective. This can be
difficult, I know. When you’re knee-deep in something, it’s really hard to see
it in any other way than how you’ve been looking at it. Ask God what He wants
you to see and to reveal a different view of what you’re going through.
I’m not saying it’s easy to persevere from now to someday (when Lord?!?), but it’s worth it. I
can’t always control how I’m feeling, but I can control my behavior while under
an emotional influence.
What do you do when you feel stuck in a time of waiting?
How do you keep the emotions from getting the better of you?
In Christ,
[Photo credit: FreeImages.com]
