Waiting on Him...

For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. (Ps. 31:22)

I never noticed this verse before. I was thinking earlier today about the folly of making "snap" decisions for most things in life (to be blogged about later), and so I did a search (using e-Sword) for the word "haste," which brought me to this verse.

I got to meditating on it, and several things occurred to me.

I know I've been there before: You pray for something, and when it doesn't happen immediately, or as you planned, you get cynical and pouty. "But I trusted You, Lord! What happened?"

My question is: what are we trusting Him for? Too often, we "trust" Him to immediately swoop to our aid like a magic genie -- to do our will. Then we act all surprised and get despondent when He doesn't do it.

Then, much later, when some or all of the details of God's plan come out, we say, with David: "For I said in my haste, 'I am cut off from before thine eyes:' nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee."

There are several lessons here, each of which I have, at some point, been guilty of ignoring, and I'm willing to bet you have too:

  • Don't assume that your plan is God's plan.
  • Don't assume that because you can't understand what's happening, God can't either.
  • Don't assume that because you can't see God working, He isn't.
  • Don't ever assume that you could have actually been happy/fulfilled/joyful/etc. with your own plan, and God just happened to get lucky this once.
  • Don't ever take a "no" answer as a sign that God has "cut [you] off from before [His] eyes." Remember, "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.' So that we may boldly say, 'The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.'"

This topic is so rich, that I know I've left out a few really good points. Feel free to add your own in the comments.

(Disclaimer: I moderate my comments, so don't feel bad if yours 1) don't show up, or 2) don't show up immediately.)

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