just wait

*originally published october 13, 2009

Romans 8:28 (The Message)

"...The moment we get tired in the waiting, God's spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than ourselves...that's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good."

Today I have such a burden in my heart for those who are facing extremely difficult situations. Maybe its God preparing my heart for the women of Haiti, or maybe it's for one of you. I want to break down this verse into the specific things God is weighing on my mind.

Getting tired in the waiting:

Wow. Haven't we all been there? When you're at the point of actual desperation when you don't think you can make it another second. I know I've been there. I love what the verse says that "God's Spirit is right alongside us helping us along." Today, let God carry you in the midst of tragedy or confusion. Remember that you are never alone, because God will never leave you or forsake you. (Deut. 31:6) He cannot leave you empty handed, because He promised to be all that you need, and more than enough.

Don't know how or what to pray:

"He does our praying in and for us." Sometimes, words just don't seem adequate. I urge you to let God do the praying for you. It's okay to sit in silence and let him speak to you and it's okay to be emotional. He understands because he knows every thought and feeling you're experiencing. Turn on worship or open your Bible and don't say a word, just let Him speak to you.

He knows your pain:

"He knows us far better than we know ourselves" It's hard to imagine, but its true. God created us, and put us together exactly how he wanted. He made us this way! Because of that, as I said before, he knows exactly what you're going through. Not because he hears your prayers, but because he knows your heart. Never feel guilty for the way that you are or because of the circumstances you face. They're not your fault! We know that God doesn't want anything tragic or bad to happen to us, but I do know that God won't bring us into a situation that we can't handle. Of course, we can't handle it on our own, and that's why we have to cry out to him to walk us through it.

Every detail is for something good:

The reason I chose to present this verse in the Message version is because of this ending, "We can be sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good." This is definitely a loaded statement. It does not say "every detail of our lives is good" or "everything that happens to us is meant for something good." When we are out of the will of God, He doesn't promise that its part of his plan! Sometimes, when we do what we want, we get ourselves into situations that were never meant to happen. So what does that mean for us? That we have to just expect the worst without His help? Absolutely not. The verse says "every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good." I know you've heard this before, but how you handle situations determines how you exit them. Lean into God. Let him handle your situations for you and He will work it into something good. Even if you take a 'detour', God can use absolutely every situation to lead you to your next promotion. Don't get bitter and don't blame God, because that is not out of love for God. Let him help you and let Him carry you, because he promised to work it into something good, even if you can't see what that is right now.

My prayer is that you will completely hand your situation over to God. Whether it be in prayer or in silence, let him know you can't do it alone and you need his guidance! I promise things will start to look up and you will have a peace from Him that you cannot even understand. Let him make himself real to you!

-Lindsay