Isaiah 40:31, “…they
who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like
eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
NIV
I’ve heard it said, “Until God opens the next door, praise
Him in the hallway.” Well, I’m in the hallway. The fact is, I’m waiting outside
the door that He’s already revealed that He’s going to open. I have
confirmation, and steps have been taken. Now that I think about it, in reality,
the door is already open, but we’re just not through it all the way…yet.
My husband has been promoted, we’re moving to Arkansas,
we’ve sold our house in Mississippi, and we’re living in corporate housing
while my husband trains for his new position in Alabama. Yes, it’s confusing to
me too. My husband’s time is filled with
appointments, conference calls, meetings, business trips, and general stuff I
don’t know anything about. But the kids and me…we’re pretty bored. We don’t
know anybody here, and it’s sooo incredibly hot. It’s so hot that it’s miserable.
The last thing any of us wants to do is go outside. The bright side, though, is the gym in this
apartment complex. I could go on and on for days at the luxury of having a gym
on site! It’s so incredibly nice, and apparently, no one else here is concerned
about their health, because I typically have it all to myself!
But I’m lonely. Loneliness is just that…lonely. While I’ve
been disciplined with my exercise and for the most part, with my nutrition,
I’ve been depressed in my spirit. It’s not healthy. If my emotions and
spiritual life isn’t on track, I’m not healthy.
And so we wait. At this moment, we’re on day 9 of a 30-day
arrangement, and time seems to be only creeping by. We’ve exhausted all of the
appropriate movies that are playing in the theatre, and we’ve visited a few
free museums in the area. But we’re running out of options. We’ve attended a
local church for worship both Sundays we’ve been here, but it seems utterly
pointless to put forth much effort into building any sort of relationship
because we’ll be leaving soon. What’s a girl to do? How do I stay healthy, both
in body and spirit while I’m waiting in the hallway?
I’m a person that thrives in a fast-paced environment. I
make quick decisions, and I’m a quick learner. I like to keep busy too, because
it seems to give me a feeling of accomplishment. When I’m not busy, I tend to
get depressed, feeling that I’m not being productive and contributing anything
of value. But when it gets too hectic, I get frazzled easily and cave to
stress.
Today, I told God all about it. And He responded. He’s
faithful to do that. He brought to my mind Isaiah 40:31. In this chapter,
Israel is complaining. They’re, in a way, accusing God of not listening too.
And He responds to them as well. Wait. It’s very simple, but He reminds them of
who He really is, and His power that He provides to us. “He gives strength to
the weary and increases the power of the weak. But those who wait on the Lord
will renew their strength.”
Could it be that God has given me this time to simply rest?
It’s a time that I normally would never take on my own, and so God has purposely
provided a time for me to simply soak up His goodness and prepare me for the
next chapter of life. The last few weeks
before we sold our house were so frantic that I would go to bed at night and
cry from the stress. God has given me this time to force me to be still, and
all I’m wanting to do is join the fast-paced world once again.
But God wants to provide new strength. His purposes for me
are perfect, and this new chapter of life promises to reveal His plan in my
life. Instead of struggling against the God-given reign, I choose to joyfully
walk in line with it. When life throws its stressors and frantic times my way,
which it always does, I can face it with renewed energy and strength, knowing
that He has equipped me.
Where are you in life right now? Maybe you’re like me and
are praising Him in the hallway. Maybe you’ve just started a new chapter and
need His renewed strength. Or maybe you’re at the end of a chapter and need
fresh wings on which to soar.
He has promised to help you.
Encouragement for Today
Psalm 27:13-14 “I
remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of
the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
NIV
No comments:
Post a Comment