Micah, a prophet during the difficult Exile period, watches the breakdown of society in his country. The human season is black, but with God there is still light. His solution is practical, put our hope in God, not in changing the situation. Look to what God will do, not to what others are doing around you. The word ‘hope’ in the Old Testament, indicates both a willingness to wait and a settled confidence that what God has for us in the future is good. Can we live in the hope that restoration awaits as God builds, delivers and forgives? Can we claim this for our life, as we ‘look to the Lord?”
As caretakers, we often live in darkness and uncertainty and it is not easy to ‘wait’ till our prayers are answered, particularly the way we think they ‘should’ be. Those times we think God’s not answering our prayers are the times He is saying ‘Trust Me.’ Psalm 56:4, “When I am afraid, in You I place my trust.” Do we let the fear of what we can’t yet see, hold us back? We take inspiration from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s words, “All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.” Gratefully, most lives have seen many rescues (I know mine has) and this helps us to believe God hears our pleas and is ‘actively’ preparing us as we wait for whatever is ahead.
Heard recently, a 106- year-old woman was asked her secret to a long life. She replied, “S.T.C. Surrender to conditions!” What good wisdom to share and yet how often do we? We will renew our strength when we are actively waiting on God as it says in Isaiah 40:31, “They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.” I believe God uses the wait, not to weaken us, but to strengthen us. What roots are developing, while we wait? When our prayer is answered in the best way possible, we will be stronger and more determined to stay the course. Only God has perfect timing and the time of waiting will not be wasted. Our call is to live each day in joyful expectation, looking and waiting, confident God ‘hears’ us.
Despite our weariness and frustrations, going into the unknown involves trust. Fear can’t stay where faith is. My faith journey has encouraged me to trust God with all my broken places and pain. Even through the hurt, I know God is helping me to give birth to a new thing. The key will be not complaining or giving into doubt, while focusing on bringing life and love. While we wait, prayer and reading Scripture will help us to persevere. St. Jane Frances de Chantal wrote, “Put yourself simply before God and without any effort, whisper very softly to His sacred heart whatever your own heart prompts you to say.” What new thing will we birth in the wait? Comments welcome.