We’ve all been there. We want something to change … or someone! We want something to happen. We want to feel better, get well, not be afraid or worried. We want to be happy, financially comfortable, married, have kids, get a job, or know God’s will. Maybe you’ve been there. Maybe you’re there now. If not, sooner or later, you probably will be.
Proof of God’s Love While You’re Waiting
Most of us know the right things to say to someone else in that situation. We know what we should be reminding ourselves. God is good. He is sovereign. He is in control. He loves us. But while we know those things, the truths aren’t always playing out in our emotions and attitudes.
How can those truths become so embedded in us that we experience His peace and joy while we’re waiting … or even if things never change?
I recently heard Pastor John MacArthur talking about an interview he did once with Larry King. At some point, Mr. King told him, “I wish I could have your faith.” I don’t know exactly how he responded to Mr. King, but he reminded his listeners that we can all have that faith because faith comes from the Word.
Faith is not some mystical thing that some people have and others don’t. Romans 10.17 says:
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
But this kind of hearing isn’t just a casual, I-heard-it-once kind of hearing. It’s a hearing-and-hearing-and-growing-in-understanding kind of hearing. It comes by hearing the word preached, reading it for ourselves, memorizing it and meditating on appropriate passages.
It comes as we make regular, if not daily, Bible intake how we formulate our ideas, opinions, philosophies, and the foundation of our life. When we do, it is much like the way our intake of natural food is digested and becomes a part of our physical bodies.
So, when it comes to trusting in God’s love, goodness, and sovereignty in the midst of waiting and wanting change, we must grow our faith in His promises.
With that in mind, I’d like to share a quote I came across yesterday. It’s from a book by A.W. Pink entitled Profiting from the Word.
While love is concealed we cannot be comforted therewith. Now God who is “love” not only loves His own, and will not only show His love fully to them in due time, but in the interim He will have us informed of His benevolent designs, that we may sweetly rest in His love, and stretch ourselves comfortably upon His sure promises. There we are able to say, “How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them” (Psa 139:17).
In 2 Peter 1:4, the Divine promises are spoken of as “exceeding great and precious.” As Spurgeon pointed out, “greatness and preciousness seldom go together, but in this instance they are united in an exceeding degree.” When Jehovah is pleased to open His mouth and reveal His heart He does so in a manner worthy of Himself, in words of superlative power and richness. To quote again the beloved London pastor: “They come from a great God; they come to great sinners; they work for us great results and deal with great matters.” While the natural intellect is capable of perceiving much of their greatness, only the renewed heart can taste their ineffable preciousness, and say with David, “How sweet are Thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Psa 69:103).
Think of that. God wants us to be able to rest in Him, to trust that He is at work, to trust His love for us, and to have peace and joy no matter what our immediate circumstances. To help us He has left us with His “exceeding great and precious promises.”
Why not find those verses that speak to your heart? You can use a concordance or an online version like Bible Gateway to search for keywords. You can, also, use the search feature here on Soul Survival to find posts and accompanying Scripture passages. When you have found them, write them out on post-its or 3 x 5 cards. Post them where you will see them often and carry them with you to read during those little wasted moments. Determine to memorize one passage every week or two.
Choose one and meditate on it. Think about it phrase by phrase. What is God saying to you through that passage?
As you do, those truths I mentioned at the beginning will be strengthened and informed by God’s Word. Faith will come alive and grow. And when it does, you will experience greater peace and joy in the midst of life in a fallen world.
Here is what has been happening this past week at Soul Survival:
“How Does Our Thinking Affect Our Emotions?”
“The Lens of Scripture”
“Are There Pockets of Resistance in Your Walk with God?”
“Are You Too Busy & Distracted?”
“Parenting from the Foot of the Cross”
“Where Do You Park Your Carriage?”
“Has Prosperity Infected Us with a Deadly Disease?”
And in case you missed it, last week’s newsletter:
“The Most Important Relationship Verse in the Bible”
Coming Up:
Coming up in the daily posts, we’ll talk about Satan the accuser, cultural Christianity, and look at the question, “Should you force your religion on your children?”
Be sure to sign up here so you won’t miss any of these upcoming posts.
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Blessings,
Donna
Pink, Arthur W.. Profiting from the Word of God (Arthur Pink Collection Book 42) (Kindle Locations 1118-1125). Prisbrary Publishing. Kindle Edition.
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Featured Resources:
Profiting from the Word by A.W. Pink
Don’t let the cover fool you. Pink’s books are a treasure and this one is available on Kindle right now for just .99 (paperback 4.95).
The Attributes of God by A.W. Pink
The foundation of our knowledge of God rests upon knowing what he is like. Without understanding God’s attributes, we have a skewed perception of him–often one cast in our own image. We need more than just a theoretical knowledge of God in order to worship him as he desires. This classic work of Arthur W. Pink invites readers to discover the truth about seventeen attributes of God, including his sovereignty, immutability, patience, love, faithfulness, and much more. Pink shows readers a God who is alive, all-powerful, and active in his creation. The perfect introductory text, The Attributes of God also has enough depth and meat to satisfy the more experienced reader.
Another .99 Kindle treasure (paperback 6.52).
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