Sometimes the Lord blinds me spiritually (actually... quite often not just sometimes). I have noticed that I become practically deaf, blind and mute when He is doing something that He doesn't want me to be aware of. I am aware of Him but clueless as to what He is doing at the time. It's kind of like being lost in the woods and only one or two pebbles are placed in front of you to follow at a time. You go in this direction not knowing the immediate destination but trusting the guide. We know by faith that the final destination is heaven. I call it holy waiting. The problem is - there's nothing holy about it from my end. Since God knows all truth I may as well be honest...I find it quite annoying.
Yep, annoying, because it's like dragging your kid to a boring clothing store instead of a toy store. As practical as clothing may be the kid wants the fun stuff. "Oh no! Not here again (whine). We were just here last week! Are we done yet? This is boring with a capital B, Daddy." The Father then replies, "Sweetheart!Your clothes are in rags! No daughter of mine will walk around without a nice coat of virtues! Please be patient. If you are really good maybe I'll take you out for a nice big slice of humble pie later."
Just what I always wanted.
I know in my case that sometimes when God's led me a long a bit and I don't know why things are happening, many times I'll find out later that it was something big that if I'd know the whole of from the start, I'd never have been able to keep going. It would have seemed too big to me. But leading me along one pebble at a time, as you say, God led me through the whole thing and worked it out for good.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we're being spared when that happens because we couldn't bear the whole of the truth.
Jane,
ReplyDeleteSounds about right to me! Both the first and second part :)
Colleen,
ReplyDeleteWell, if nothing else at least we'll get a crown for honesty ;)
A great message Mary. Waiting is very hard though. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteJBR,
ReplyDeleteYes, it is hard, but God allows it for a purpose and brings good out of everything. Better than good...He brings great. He is healing you, me, and all who turn to Him. I firmly believe this. You and I can give one another a high-five in heaven someday :)Our Lord's peace be with you, JBR.
Sometimes waiting gets a tiny little bit easier when we get a little older - we have perspective - and experience, too. And sometimes God disables us so we have to learn to wait, which isn't easy either. Having to wait forces us to build trust in Him and get our own egos out of the way. These are hard lessons, but who has ever known a kid who never fell down and scraped his knee? That's me - a lot of scraped knees, head bangs and bruises. It seems to be a part of the human condition - darkened intellects, weakened wills and all. And if we knew the attacks we would face while doing God's will, would we proceed with courage and trust? God's way is better. Keep us in the dark until He gets us completely ready to do the rest of whatever He has given us to do. And learn patience. Remember the joke about somebody praying to God for patience? If we do, we are going to be given a lot of things to be patient about.
ReplyDeleteBarb,
ReplyDeleteThat's me, too. I know patience is a virtue and very important. I try to be patiently patient and end up impatiently wondering when this virtue will come upon me;)
I probably shouldn't joke about these things so much but I have to laugh at my stumbles and believe God allows it to humble me.
Beneath the joking, I take God very seriously.