When You’re Stuck Between Now and…When Lord?!?

Call it what you want—the desert…a time of waiting…the land between—it’s all a time of not knowing the future. It feels like being stuck between now and when Lord?!?

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).

But with God all things are possible—even keeping the emotions in check. {Tweet this}

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,

Laura

[Photo credit: FreeImages.com]

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