I Don't Mind Waiting...
So, I was Periscoping (if that's even a word... 🤔) one night during the Bonnerfide Radio Listening Party for my brother, Pastor William McDowell's latest album, called "Sounds of Revival". "Send the Rain", one of the album's singles, came on and even though I've sang the song about a million times, I was really focused in and worshipping from a different place. It was definitely a place of desperation.
So, honest moment... 😬 Like, I REALLY NEED the rain!!! We all do, really. 👀
I had been asking God why I'd been planting and planting and PLANTING all these seeds, but it had felt like the rain had only come in drizzles... Almost to the point where I was SICK of waiting. 🙄 Sick of screaming and crying out for the same things over and over and leaving His Presence still feeling the same. Of course He reminded me that He IS indeed moving and bringing change in His Presence, BUT the rain being released is dependent on the level of faith, His will, and His perfect timing. 👀😬
FAITH: “You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”
WILL: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take." - Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
TIMING: For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. - Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT
Either way, the chorus of the song kept being repeated, "Lord, we will wait for You 'cause all we want is You. Lord, we will wait for You 'cause nothing else will do."
("...Cause [the reality is] nothing else in the whole entire world matters or compares to when He comes. Where else would we go? What could possibly be better? Nothing and NO ONE else is greater than He is...")
So then, almost instantly, after repeating those words... believing them with my entire soul and everything in me... I had a thought! 💡
I remembered how children have sooooo many toys. Over the years, the number almost becomes uncountable. The funny thing is that even though they have so many, they seem to have a new favorite toy about every week or so and they completely disregard the other hundreds of toys because they only want to play with that favorite one. I thought about why that is... 🤔
Basically, what I've seen happen is a new movie or tv show will come out and one of the characters will do something, say something, or even be something that's inspiring or exciting to the child. They become so infatuated with that character to the point that all they want is a replica to hold in their hands and show off to all their friends and family!
So, with that ONE character set on their heart, they could go into any store and there could be a million other toys all around; I mean, big ones, little ones, tall and short, old and new, but who cares?! In their mind, at that time, they only want what they want because they feel like it's THE BEST in the entire world. Anyone could offer to bribe them with other toys to wait until a later time to receive it, but all they have eyes for is what their heart is set on... And they're not leaving until they get it! (Unless their parents make them, of course. But y'all know what I mean. Lol.)
Anyways, during the party, while listening to "Send The Rain", I saw that analogy as a parallel to the way us believers should be. (If you were on that Periscope, you probably remember me calling myself preaching. LOL!)
Jesus told those who were in the Upper Room to WAIT for the gift of the Holy Spirit, as promised.
The word says, "Once when He was eating with them, He commanded them, 'Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift He promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'”(Acts 1:4-5 NLT)
Many were impatient and left, but those who stayed received more than they could've ever gotten anywhere else. Children today remind me of those who stayed. They're insanely desperate for whatever their heart is longing for and they WILL NOT settle for anything less. They're patient, but persistent in asking... especially when the thing they desire has been promised to them.
Y'all, that's how we gotta be...
"LORD, WE WILL WAIT FOR YOU 'CAUSE ALL WE WANT IS YOU. LORD, WE WILL WAIT FOR YOU 'CAUSE NOTHING ELSE WILL DO."
Nothing else will do!
The problem is that we so often settle on lesser things because we lack the patience to wait for the best...
And that goes for everything: the Presence of God, relationships, jobs, you name it....
How long have you been waiting on a promise from the Lord? Have you received it yet? Did you wait or did you settle (like I've done before)? 😔
We wait because we trust in the character and trustworthiness of God. He's never failed; ever. And His plan is perfect. His promise includes us not only being in His will, but in His timing.
I could try to write more to this blog, but... I think we should all just let that marinate.
Love y'all.
Make sure you...
Listen To: Send the Rain
Artist: William McDowell
Album: Sounds of Revival
ALSO
Listen To: Don't Mind Waiting
Artist: William McDowell
Album: Sounds of Revival
...and pretty much the entire album because well, it's LIFE-CHANGING!!!!!