Patience

God knows my heart. I've prayed until my tears can fill up a bucket.

I know God never ignores prayer. There are three answers God can give to any prayer: "Yes". "No." And, "Not right now."

I keep praying that His "No" is just a "Not right now." I also pray for a door to finally shut -- either the door in front of me, or the door behind me.

If the door behind me shuts, I have finally received what I have been praying so fervently for. I can move ahead with new life, and new energy...and new dreams.

I want for that door to shut so much!

If the door in front of me shuts, then I know there is no point in praying more for what I am hoping for. The decision has been made. It's final.

I want for that door to shut just as much!

I also know that God can open closed doors when He wants to. He has proven that to me time and again...but to know that the door in front of me is locked and sealed shut is to accept that I need to move on completely, without looking back at the struggle that got me there. To accept the futility of knocking any more. If it should open again in the future, then I will again be on my knees praying again. But, I want peace in my heart about the prayer for right now.

I just would rather have the pain of finality than the pain of the waiting for an answer.

God, however, expects patience.

I am reminded constantly that I am not God.

Waiting for a Miracle

Hello, World.

God has done it again.

Ya'll know I've been praying for a miracle.

It's easy to wonder why God doesn't answer my prayer. It's easy to become insecure because it seems as if He doesn't hear my prayer. But, today, God sent me another message through Rick Warren. It was God speaking loud and clear. I REALLY needed this!

What I heard God say to me through this was "Don't give up".

I sat here and took notes.

When in God’s Waiting Room

1.There are some things we only learn through waiting.
2. Remember No is not the same as “Not yet”
3. Five things to remember when you are in God’s waiting room:

A. There is a natural delay between planting and harvesting Ecclesiastes
B. There is an unseen battle going on. A spiritual war. You are right in the middle of it. When you send up prayer there is a battle about how that prayer will be answered and satan will throw darts at you while you wait. Daniel 10 A delay is not a denial
C. God is preparing you for His blessing. 1 Peter 1:6-7 Waiting is always a test. Romans 8:24-28
D. You are in good company: Hannah, Joseph, Moses, Abraham and others.
E. Remember God always keeps His promises.

4. Things to do while in the waiting room:

A. Write down the things that you learn. Study them. Remember them. God has some things He needs to teach you before He answers your prayer. The way to the Promised Land is through the Wilderness. Moses kept a written record of Israel’s progress during their 40 years in wilderness. If you don’t learn the lesson, you will have to take the class again...and again until you do.
B. Act as though you already have it. Don’t wonder, worry and whine. Mark 11:24 Waiting is not passivity. Be prepared to receive it. Abram’s name was changed to Abraham, meaning “father of many nations”. He wore that name for 25 years before Isaac was born.
C. Imitate the habits that grow strong faith. Use the time while you are waiting to develop personal maturity. 1 Peter 1:6-7, Philippians 4:9 We all learn best by great models.
D. Don’t put your life on hold. Waiting is not idleness. Waiting is the time to develop the habits and skills that you are going to need later on.

5. Five Habits to do while in the waiting room

A. Keep praying
B. Keep serving
C. Keep having fellowship with others of faith.
D. Keep on sowing your seeds.
E. Keep on believing.

6. Trust God instead of panicking. God is never in a hurry. God is never late. Trust God’s timing.

Check out Rick's message on waiting for what you are praying for!