“ But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31
LEARN
Seasons of waiting can be daunting especially when you have been praying for
something specific for years that you have yet to see come to pass. There are several
things that I have been praying for specifically for over ten years now and still... nothing.
There have been times when I got discouraged, got disappointed, and cried out to God
like, “Why have you forsaken me?” You may be laughing, and when I think about those
times now, I do too. But in those moments, there were real tears and real frustration.
But what I have learned is that even if God doesn’t answer all of my prayers and even if
some of the things I have been praying for for years never come to pass – He is still
good!
Psalm 136:1 “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.”
In moments of frustration and disappointment I had to choose to praise Him anyway,
still my heart, and know that he is still good, regardless (Psalm 46:10).
KNOW
It can be hard to still trust God and know that he is good when your body is broken
down with chronic illness or you have no money in your bank account to pay your bills.
It can be hard to see God as a loving God when you feel like he has left you or
abandoned you because what you think should happen is not happening. It can be hard
when you have been waiting for your husband to come and you are still single, feeling
left behind. Or you are married, and your husband and you can’t stop fighting. There are
many hardships that we go through in life that can cause us to doubt God or think He is
not for us. However, the opposite is true. He is with us, always. He is for us and not
against us. Even in the midst of chaos and heartache, He is still GOOD!
DO
What can you do in the seasons of discouragement?
Get out of the negative spiral by praising Him anyway and shifting to gratitude
Find scriptures and meditate on the goodness of God
Remember all the good things that He has done for you
Sing praise music
Dance unto the Lord
Anxiety and gratitude cannot take up the same space in the brain at the same time. And
when we are in moments of discouragement – this can turn into anxiousness, because
ultimately, we are trying to figure out a plan to make it happen ourselves.
Shift from the negative mindset to the positive by saying “thank you God that I have my
life. I have food in my belly, clothes on my back, and a roof over my head.” Add
whatever else comes to mind. The more we can stay in gratitude, the more those
negative thought patterns lose control in our lives. This is not only Biblically but it is
scientific as well!
God’s ways are higher than ours and for whatever reason in your season of waiting -
God has said it is not time yet. So instead of complaining and working yourself up into a
spirit of depression - Trust that he knows best, and, in His timing, everything will be
made perfect.
To grow in your relationship with God, find your identity and walk in your purpose - check out Rachel’s workbook called Unlocking Freedom.
You can also connect with Rachel through her website at www.daretolivefree.net where she offers holistic biblical counseling.
