Why are we still waiting?
This past week I've been toying around with different blog post ideas. It's amazing, once you start blogging, your mind starts writing ideas for you in your head on what you can communicate at any point during the day.
I'm not one to lay my life story out on a webpage, because in-person, face-to-face is the kind of relationships I want to have. BUT, I knew as I got to this stage in my testimony, I can't fully put Him on display by only telling a few friends. God began putting the broken pieces of my life together for something far beyond me, and one of the best ways I can steward this story is by telling it.
So, as I began to think through blog post ideas this past week, I came up with not feeling prepared, curious what happens at the next stage in our process, shouting for joy as our waiting is less and less time...
Then I read another adoption blog, and came to tears. It was a blog post about God's hope and His faithfulness. I read their salvation testimony and how God is bringing them their child, and heard reflection of Jesus's birth we celebrate this month. Literally, was in tears as a read this blog putting God's glory on display and thinking about all my horizontal, me-focused blog ideas.
Talking about how we need to prepare his room isn't a bad thing (although now it sounds like a lame blog post, haha). But I know my heart, and all I could think to share was the logistics, the things to do, the things I have to accomplish, the timing I was waiting for....God's story wasn't my first priority.
It doesn't take much to get distracted with ourselves, right? And as much I want to defend myself and say when you have a lot of logistics to handle, you don't have a choice but to focus on them. But that is sin. Plain and simple, putting anything above God is sin. Whether that's something God is giving you, whether it's trying to keep up with a busy life, whether is soaking up every tradition at Christmas-time, the moment you let it captivate you more than the your Creator, you are choosing sin.
Their is a song out right now that so accuratly depicts my story, and if you have given your life to Jesus Christ, this is yours too!
If I told you my story
You would hear Hope that wouldn't let go
And if I told you my story
You would hear Love that never gave up
And if I told you my story
You would hear Life, but it wasn't mine
If I told you my story
You would hear victory over the enemy
And if I told you my story
You would hear freedom that was won for me
And if I told you my story
You would hear Life overcome the grave
If I should speak then let it be
Of the grace that is greater than all my sin
Of when justice was served and where mercy wins
Of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in
But, after being convicted today about how easy it is to loose focus, if someone asked why are we still waiting, I'd say...
It's so God can grow our faith. It's so we can talk about Him more. It's so patience turns to trust which turns to total reliance upon God. It's so God's grace can be displayed on one undeserving couple. It's so we can boast about the hope we have in Christ. It's so we can have opportunities to share our story with so many we meet who would ask us if we have kids. It's so only God can get the credit as we experience joy waiting year after year to have a family.
Being on God's mission isn't easy, especially when we long for the waiting to end. But, if you press onto God's mission in the midst of waiting, He will do INCREDIBLE THINGS!
The main reason I began this blog is to put God's story on display.
I'm not one to lay my life story out on a webpage, because in-person, face-to-face is the kind of relationships I want to have. BUT, I knew as I got to this stage in my testimony, I can't fully put Him on display by only telling a few friends. God began putting the broken pieces of my life together for something far beyond me, and one of the best ways I can steward this story is by telling it.
So, as I began to think through blog post ideas this past week, I came up with not feeling prepared, curious what happens at the next stage in our process, shouting for joy as our waiting is less and less time...
Then I read another adoption blog, and came to tears. It was a blog post about God's hope and His faithfulness. I read their salvation testimony and how God is bringing them their child, and heard reflection of Jesus's birth we celebrate this month. Literally, was in tears as a read this blog putting God's glory on display and thinking about all my horizontal, me-focused blog ideas.
Talking about how we need to prepare his room isn't a bad thing (although now it sounds like a lame blog post, haha). But I know my heart, and all I could think to share was the logistics, the things to do, the things I have to accomplish, the timing I was waiting for....God's story wasn't my first priority.
It doesn't take much to get distracted with ourselves, right? And as much I want to defend myself and say when you have a lot of logistics to handle, you don't have a choice but to focus on them. But that is sin. Plain and simple, putting anything above God is sin. Whether that's something God is giving you, whether it's trying to keep up with a busy life, whether is soaking up every tradition at Christmas-time, the moment you let it captivate you more than the your Creator, you are choosing sin.
Their is a song out right now that so accuratly depicts my story, and if you have given your life to Jesus Christ, this is yours too!
If I told you my story
You would hear Hope that wouldn't let go
And if I told you my story
You would hear Love that never gave up
And if I told you my story
You would hear Life, but it wasn't mine
If I told you my story
You would hear victory over the enemy
And if I told you my story
You would hear freedom that was won for me
And if I told you my story
You would hear Life overcome the grave
If I should speak then let it be
Of the grace that is greater than all my sin
Of when justice was served and where mercy wins
Of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in
Oh to tell you my story is to tell of Him
Praise God for grace that covers all of our sins!
This past week, we've been asked numerous times why does the adoption process take so long? Why are we still waiting?
What I said this week is that we really don't mind all the checks and balances Thailand and our agency is doing to make sure everything is legal, we are approved to adopt him, and he's in the best situation he can be in. We knew if God wanted him in our home tomorrow, God would and could do that. This is God's timing and not ours. And this all continues to be true.
But, after being convicted today about how easy it is to loose focus, if someone asked why are we still waiting, I'd say...
It's so God can grow our faith. It's so we can talk about Him more. It's so patience turns to trust which turns to total reliance upon God. It's so God's grace can be displayed on one undeserving couple. It's so we can boast about the hope we have in Christ. It's so we can have opportunities to share our story with so many we meet who would ask us if we have kids. It's so only God can get the credit as we experience joy waiting year after year to have a family.
Being on God's mission isn't easy, especially when we long for the waiting to end. But, if you press onto God's mission in the midst of waiting, He will do INCREDIBLE THINGS!
Comments
Post a Comment