Lift Your Spirit

That’s a four-letter word: wait. And we drop that bomb on everyone in our sphere when it’s to our advantage. Maybe it’s just not convenient for us to deal with something, so we offer a casual, “I’ll get to it — just not now.” We look at the pile of projects calling our attention and we wave a “wait your turn.”

But what happens when this ‘waiting’ becomes our prescription from Above? How do we then respond?

Anyone else in the room with me who is desperately trying to avoid being hit with that word in their situation right now? Lord, please …

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 4031 ESV

How can waiting result in strength? Sounds counterintuitive to not be in motion and to still come out rippled with muscularity. But our lesson in waiting is not a mandate to be motionless, lazy or complacent. It’s actually a lesson in actively trusting in the One Who makes the wait worthwhile because we believe with every ounce of ourselves that He is able to execute with utmost perfection.

That’s where the admission and exchange of our weakness shines the spotlight on His Strength. Friend, you and I can only do so much. And in desperate times, even that seems like the flashlight has grown dim in the tunnel.

While He causes all things to work out for our best interest (and don’t be surprised that it’s appearance will look nothing like you imagined), keep talking to Him through the process. He adores the sound of your voice. Even if it’s muffled by tears of sorrow and frustration. Oh, He knows the pain you are experiencing, far better than you realize. And to be honest, there were so, so many times I questioned ‘why’ the waiting had to hurt so much. Some details He has kept concealed from me — TMI (too much information) can kill us or at best, take us to a place where we would miss the blessing for the sake of trying to right a wrong with our human hands. In some instances, the revelation of the painful waiting was so that I would pour it all out — just peeled back and fully exposed, no walls to hide behind, no masquerading pretenses. Just the raw and real.

Maybe this will be a shift moving forward. This could very well be the new normal — the way in which we choose to live amidst the ever-changing tidal waves of change in our life. We do have a choice.

Choosing to wait on the Lord is allowing Him to develop those spiritual muscles that have long atrophied from a lack of use.

Whatever you are clinging to for change, resolve, turnaround, resurrection, reinvention, intervention, redemption … GOD says, “let Me handle that for you.”

Then tell everyone in your circle to lean back and give you room to spread those wings and run.

I love you to Heaven and Back, Girlfriend ~~

LindaRJohnson, TitusTwo Visionary

*Thank you to Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music for this.