Waiting For The Rest of the Story
“But if we hope for what we do not see,
with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”
Romans 8:25
It was a night of fellowship around the table. Good food, sweet friends and encouragement as we took a pause in the Bible Study teaching. My table was filled with open conversation as one lady shared of her new, refreshed faith in Christ that feels as if she just got saved. I turned to the lady next to me and asked, “Why don’t you share a God story?”
She looked up and after a brief pause said, “I’m working on one!” Tears surfaced. I heard her words of faith as profound. I sat frozen in the moment. What powerful words of faith! Around another table, one discerned that something was happening and she quickly darted across the room to get in on the moment.
As I repeated the words, more tears came.
She didn’t say, “I don’t have one”, but “I’m working on one!”
Sometimes we are standing in the middle of dark dirt that doesn’t show much hope that anything will come out of it. We can look one way and feel that God is not hearing or answering our prayer. Then we can turn slightly with eyes of expectancy and have great hope. It is especially hard to hold on to faith when the story has so many twists and turns, climbs and dives. What my friend knew was that God wasn’t finished yet.
The dark dirt under her feet held many seeds of promise that she had planted in faith and watered with her own tears. Many days it just looked like dirt turning to mud from all the turmoil and tears. But she continued to hold on to faith and promise that God is down in the dirt working something.
She now stood over this ground waiting to see what would pop up on any given day. She saw little shoots of green hope sticking up out of the ground and with that faith she waited for the rest of the story. She believed with everything within her that God was at work. It was not over. Therefore, she kept believing, praying, loving, obeying and watching.
The enemy speaks discouragement over the little shoots of life and hope when we are longing to see a full grown plant with glorious fruit. He comes in the night and snatches our hope by filling our minds with despair, doubt and fear. This is the exact moment that we must press more seeds deep within the dark soil.
“God who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.” (Romans 4:17)
God is working things together for good and there will be a God story very soon.
My friend, what dirt do you stand in today? You have planted seeds of promise and watered with tears. You have waited much longer than seems possible for something to spring forth. Be encouraged today that your God story is in the making.
Help yourself to a new packet of seed.
Press them deep into the soil and watch over them with faith and expectancy.
SEEDS OF HOPE AND PROMISE
Psalms 62:1-6 (NIV) Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
Luke 1:37 (NKJV) "For with God nothing will be impossible."
Mark 9:23 (NLT) “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”
Matthew 21:21-22 (NLT) Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”
Ephesians 3:20 (NIV) Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.
Hebrews 10:35-36 (NLT) So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
James 1:12 (NLT) God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Romans 4:20-21 (NLT) Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.
Psalm 136:4 (NLT) Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever.