 |
| Photo Copyright 2011 Alycia W. Morales |
It's been a trying six months for our family. My husband made the decision to go to his next job without the kids and me. "It's a three-month gig," he reasoned. Not wanting to disrupt the kids' lives for three months, only to turn around and come back to where we live now, I agreed with him. The problem? No job with this company truly only lasts three months. Most are around eighteen months to two years.
So for six months now, we've patiently and not-so-patiently waited. I have to confess. Most days it feels like my heart is being ripped out as I miss my husband and thank God he's still alive, just several miles north of us. For him, it's more like being in Egypt under Pharaoh's rule. It's all work and no life outside of that labor. And so we wait.
Several times we've hit a point where, like the disciples in the stormy boat with Jesus, we've wanted to bail out and jump ship. But that wouldn't be wise, would it? We'd likely drown in the storms of life and never see the shore on the other side.
At the same time, we've considered delivering ourselves. Like Abraham waiting for Sarah to conceive. How long is Your promise going to take, Lord? But we don't want to rush the hand of God, either. We don't want to try doing things our own way, hoping to get us to the Promise faster. Because then we'd end up with attachments we'd like to forget about.
Through it all, we've decided (with some godly counsel and the wisdom of others - see Prov. 11:14) we want to be like Joseph. Joseph didn't deserve half of what he endured, but he grew in favor with God and men as he waited for God to deliver him. He spent time in a pit, in someone else's house, and in jail. He served God through it all, remembering that God came first in everything. It didn't matter where he was or what he had to do, as long as God was with him. He found his strength in the Lord. In the end, God raised him up and seated him in high places. Because Joseph was faithful.
We're still waiting to see where God will move us next. We still don't know if the job will end in the beginning, middle, or end of February or if it will continue on into the spring. We still desperately desire to be reunited as a family, but we wait upon the Lord.
"Be still, and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10
"Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day." Psalm 25:5
I know about waiting--and finding His perfect will in the process.
ReplyDeleteOne time we had sold our house and had made the commitment to only purchase another one without debt. But as we sought for a house, none of them in that price rage seemed right for us. I found the perfect house and it would only require a $10,000 loan. My husband was adamant that we stick to our commitment.
Thankfully, waiting allowed us to find the perfect house without having to borrow any money.
But the undeniable evidence of God's will is that four months after we moved in, my husband lost his job. Praise God Gary didn't listen to me and we didn't have a mortgage!
Waiting is hard, but it's worth it.
When my husband lost his job last year, the waiting of what would happen next was so hard. God was faithful in finding a new job but it has come with new challenges, forcing us to continue to rely on Him daily. Through it all, I've learned to trust His plan, even when I don't like it or understand it. Isa 55:8-9
ReplyDeleteBoy do I know what you're talking about! The great thing about waiting on the Lord is the hindsight you have when the wait is over. I can look back over the seven years I endured and I see EXACTLY the path God had me on. I couldn't see it then, because if I had, I could never have experienced and learned what I need to in order to do the job he has before me now. Just keep looking for that light (Jesus) at the end of the tunnel!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments, ladies! It's encouraging to hear more tales of waiting and the results of our patience as God does what He does best.
ReplyDelete