False Start

John 13:37 "Peter said to Him, Lord, why can I not follow you now?"

This verse started off my devotions today. And at first glance I knew the answer to the question, but I didn't really know where Oswalt Chambers was going with it. The first paragraph grabbed the steering wheel and I went for a joy-ride.

It's been a long break for me. A lot of sitting around, trying to make the time go by faster, but nothing worked. I decided not to go back to my old work because I will be shadowing a Physical Therapist very shortly and I didn't want to come back to work for 2 weeks. And spiritually, I've been doing ok, but nothing has rocked my brain as of late, so I guess I'm just waiting for the next mountain to climb. This is no Mt. Everest, but a mountain none-the-less. And who knows, I may be making a mountain out of a mole-hill. But I feel like right now I'm in a time of waiting. I've spent all of my time here at home waiting, anticipating the next move, ready to jump to the next challenge. But after reading today, I think i'm just going to keep waiting. Actively waiting, if that makes sense. I've found that I used to just wait by doing nothing and waiting for God to yell at me. But I need to keep searching God even through the times of waiting because He might be whispering to me. I want to be able to hear God's calling, whether He's yelling or whispering. Oswalt Chambers says, "When God brings a time of waiting, and appears to be unresponsive, don't fill it with busyness, just wait.[...]Never run before God gives you His direction. If you have the slightest doubt, then He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt-wait."

Instantly my brain kicks into my track mode, and it makes perfect sense. Imagine a runner stepping up to the starting line, not knowing how far to run, or in what direction to run? It just doesn't make sense. And how about when we "jump the gun" and start running before God pulls the trigger. In track you get disqualified from the race. Thank the Lord that He doesn't end our lives if we do false start!

In today's world, we're all about speed, efficiency, quickness, I have to have it ten minutes ago. Everything needs to be available at people's fingertips instantly. But that's not how God works. I remember the Bible verse that woke me up from my stagnant days at King's College. I will never forget when Pastor Jim read Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God." It hit me like a ton of bricks. My whole time at King's College I was asking God to answer me day after day after day. But I never took the time to listen. I was too busy asking and trying to get an answer and to make a move that I didn't take time to listen to God's advice and plan for my life. It was God telling me to slow down, shut up,listen, and to wait. "Be still..."

God is not going to answer on our time. It's his plan that matters.

So as I sit here and type this, I need to remember to wait. Wait to hear God's next move. And the only way to wait is to "Be still, and know that I am God." Remember who God is. He has got us in His hands. We're gonna be just fine. So wait.