“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love." John 15:9
Remaining. Abiding. Staying. Continuing. Resting. Waiting.
It seems everywhere I have looked this week, God has been there to remind me, this is what I must do to honestly and wholly seek Him. I read a quote from my Beth Moore Bible study that keeps resonating in my head..."Sometimes we stand to learn the most about God from the situations we understand the least." As my friend Rebekah would say, "that'll preach!"
How true it is that the things that make the least amount of sense to us at times, are the experiences God will use the most?? The key, I am learning, is to wait. UGH! Is waiting not a killer sometimes? I want to see the reason why NOW! I am a product of the microwave generation, I don't want it 30 minutes from now, I really would've liked it 30 minutes ago!
I ask : Why are my children not getting the lessons and virtues we are trying to instill in them?
He answers: Just remain in Me.
I ask: Why are these young ladies not getting these lessons from Your Word that we teach week after week?
He answers: Just abide in Me.
I ask: Why does it feel like I have no one that understands me at times?
He answers: Just stay here with Me.
I ask: Why keep going? Is it really making a difference?
He answers: Just continue.
I ask: Why, as a wife, mom, pastor's wife, PTO member, homeroom mother, Sunday School teacher, daughter, sister, friend, etc etc, I feel as if I can barely keep my head above the water?
He answers: Just rest in Me.
I ask: Why are there days that I feel I can't hear You? Like You are not answering me?
He answers: Just wait on Me.
And while I am remaining, abiding, staying, continuing, resting, and waiting....I study His Word. I trust. There are many people in this world that we long to be more like, I'm deep into one of their Bible studies and books right now and I skyped with four others this morning, but He reminded me as I clicked "end call" that He did not call me to be like them, He called me to be like Him. We can't measure our love and reverance and respect for God through what others are doing or not doing, we have to use God as our ultimate example. We have to live the life He called us to live and that is a life of remaining in Him.
I would love to tell you this is something I have down, that I abide in Him every single day of my life. Fail. Oh but those days I get it! Really get it! What joy it brings! He's teaching me, little by little, lesson by lesson, day by day that He is always enough! He is always faithful! And He that began a good work in me, will be faithful to complete that work! (Philippians 1:6) His only request of me...to remain in Him.
i know i already told you this via text, but seriously. stop hanging out in my head. ;)
ReplyDeletesooooooo words i needed to hear. love you!
Toya, you have such a gift of saying things well! This lesson of "remaining" has been a lifelong challenge for me. Sometimes, the Lord puts it with the reminder of "What did I call you to do? Just do it!", similar to what you said about you NOT being on of the four friends you Skyped with. Thanks again for being YOU! and for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteAre you trying to preach to me? That's supposed to be your husband's job! Seriously, I have so many questions and "what-ifs" going around in my head right now . . . enough to keep me awake at night. Sooooo, I asked God for help, and the first thing He did (yesterday) was to surprise me with an unexplainable sense of peace. Nothing resolved, nothing "fixed," but still, a peace. So I'm holding on to that for now. Your words were timely!! Thanks, again!
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