Saturday, October 15, 2016

No other hope...



Mr E and I have spent three years 'waiting' on the Lord to open a door. 
I suppose at the very beginning we imagined He'd move quickly, but then a year passed and we figured the timing wasn't right or He needed us to stay put for a purpose we were not yet aware of.

Year two passed and our prayers continued. 
Hopes were raised and dashed many times.
Doors appeared but none opened, not even a crack. If they had we may well have jammed our foot in the doorway to keep that door ajar and attempt a forced move. 

But God loves us too much to let us push forward into pastures not our own, places not purposed for His plans in our lives.

Year three is drawing to a close and still we stand waiting for a door to open. 
Will it? We do not know, but we trust God's ways are higher than ours, that His plans are perfect and will flourish in ways we cannot imagine.

Psalm 130:5 speaks deep into my heart. 
"I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits..."

That's what it feels like, week after week, month after month, year after year - like every part of my body is alive with waiting, earnestly desiring His plan to unfold and a view from behind the closed door to become clear. 
So every day we pray, every day we bow before our God and accept His will, every day acknowledging His sovereignty and completeness.

Maybe the wait will end soon, perhaps it will continue for many years.
Yet though we desire to have a path revealed that leads us forward, we choose to find our peace in Him, and in His word we put our hope.

Never lose hope, never forget His ways are perfect and we can trust our lives into His care. 
When your heart is His, when you truly offer Him your life, the waiting is bearable.

I always end my prayer requests like this...
"Yet not my will but Yours be done, Lord"
...and it's that acknowledgement which assures me everything is happening according to His purpose and to His eternal glory.

We have no hope apart from Jesus, of this I am convinced.

So sweet friend, if you're in this earthly waiting room with us, looking for that door to swing wide and beckon you in, you're not alone. In fact, Jesus is right here with us, encouraging us to bloom where the Father has us today. After all, we are where we are for a heavenly reason.

hugs

21 comments:

Baa. xxx said...

Never lose hope - those are such wise words! Never!

margaret said...

like you I am too waiting wish I had your strength to help me through

cheesesmouse said...

I understand you so good: seven years I was praying, waiting and hoping. The story ended up not the way as I wished it would. Not at all. But it brought me closer to the LORD and this is, what I am thankful for now. Even though, I am very sad, about how it came out. Thank you for your words!!! (Excuse my english, I am German)

Phil Poggeaux said...

Thank you - needed this today. Phil

Conni said...

This brought to mind Hebrews 11:1...Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. My bible's commentary shares that, "by defining faith as "assurance" and "conviction", the author indicates that biblical faith is not a vague hope grounded in imaginary, wishful thinking. Instead, faith is a settled confidence that something in the future--something that is not yet seen but has been promised by God--will actually come to pass because God will bring it about.". Our persistent hope in the promises of God, that is faith!

Bernice said...

Thank you for this reminder Jenny. Be blessed today as you have blessed many with today's reflection.

China Ali said...

I needed that because outside of my two kids and the roof over my head I need him more now then ever. I lost my sister in March and I knew now I not only had tge lord, but I had her to takl to as I pray. I'm 41 and kids are 10 & 8, so now as I fight to still recover, from a fall in 11/2014 that shattered my left leg plus 5 surgeries, a bone infection that could have taken my life, but because I am still here I know there as to be some hope that life will get better. Yes, not only did I almost die that night and almist two years and still fighting I lost my house and now live in an apartment which as sad as that sounds I was very happy about it. However, my husband did lose his job when I fell due to having to take care of our children, me and our two dogs, but managed to find another within 6 months. Even though he git theough that we still lost house, had to file chapter 7 & move. That was had to locate a rental that we could afford, take dogs and a landlord willing to either except the bad credit ir accept my FIL as cosingner and thank the lord we did and with two days to spare before we were to be homeless. So all this plus much more tragedy as I mentioned kept coming I had to finally let go and say God I need you because I have nothing left. I was battered, drained and had no idea what to do. So now I give the lird my heart and soul completly. So every night I ask him and my sister please keep guiding me and I'll kept fighting. So Jenny those beautiful words ring very true. I totaly understand. I thank you for giving me your words. I'm gratful I found your blog and maybe its more then just learning about your beautiful art. Just pissibly another door of wisdom he intended for me to find.

Águeda said...

I wish with all my heart that your prayers are addressed soon.
The Lord is our hope.
However, we need to be a great man, a great woman, to find hope in Him.
Thanks for your great example.
Have a Blessed day.

Pam said...

And while you wait, bloom where you are planted.

Dolores said...

I too believe "Your will be done." I pray every night and sometimes during the day. It has helped a lot in everything.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps the Lord is waiting on you? Sometimes I think He waits for us to give Him something to work with. Israel was to leave Egypt. They had to move. Israel was promised a land. But there was a part they had to do. Take it. I think God often wants to help us sooner than we wait for it to come. Peter said, "Lord, bid me come." Jesus said, 'Come'. Maybe it is an action of faith...that stepping out...that taking it. Something to consider perhaps.

Angie in SoCal said...

I needed to hear this today. You were an instrument of God today. Bless you!
Waiting in hope again.

BillieBee (billiemick) said...

Angie's right. You are always timely on your post. I must say I cracked up when I read, "jammed our foot in the doorway." How many times have we all done that. Maybe that's why my feet hurt....giggle. God Bless Jenny as she is always a blessing to us all. Thanks for sharing her with us.....Billie Beth

Anonymous said...

I love this verse, any version. I pray for your door to open, too, but I know that God's time is not our time. I know that often we see such a short distance, and what's just beyond that distance would enlighten us greatly as to the reasons for a wait. Love you, know God loves you even more.

http://thankfullga447 said...

Today has been a difficult day, I was losing hope it might take a long long time but 'yes' do not give up hope. On my way to church for more prayers and thanksgiving.

Motherdragon's Musings said...

Your posts always bring me strength and comfort. It is like the Lord is speaking to me through you, or you are relaying His message to me. Bless you and thank you. Sharon xo

Jenny of Elefantz said...

Anonymous, it's not that kind of waiting...in fact, we are doing all we can, but this door is simply not ours to open. Only His. x

terricheney said...

Oh yes....the waiting room. We've been there for nearly four years. We know we're in a new season and this is bringing change into our lives but just what we don't know yet. So we wait...At first it was terribly hard and I was very impatient about moving on but now I see God has His best for us and we must wait for His perfect timing.

Christina said...

This is so true for me too!! But alas, I know he is waiting on me too. I know there are things I could and should be doing as well. Your Sunday posts always seem to "speak" to me. He truly is amazing.

Mary E. Stephens said...

You have my sympathy. My family waited a couple times to move on when the door didn't open for over a year, but when it did everything went so quickly and it was obvious why the Lord had kept us waiting.

For my own part, I married for the first time at age 38. You might say I'm well acquainted with the waiting room. :-) My husband was well worth the wait, and he was learning a lot of important things while I was waiting. I am deeply thankful that the Lord didn't allow me to shove open a door in that area of life!

A favorite verse: Psalms 42:11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Jenny for this reminder of how perfect God's timing is and that we need to be patient. So comforting to hear . Bless you