I like things to happen when I want them to happen. I’m not a fan of waiting for anything. I can look back on my life and see where this very flaw has led to hurt, disappointment, and frustration. Yet, over and over, it’s a lesson I seem to be slow at learning. As I was reading this morning, I came across this gem of a verse buried in Galatians 4 –
The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise. (v. 22-23)
These words stuck out at me, in particular “in a human attempt.” As I’ve been thinking about this all day, I wondered how Abraham’s story might have gone if he had trusted in the Lord’s faithfulness to fulfill His promises to him. How his faith may have grown in ways that were completely earth shattering. How perhaps, if he had just waited on the Lord, his legacy might have been even greater. Abraham’s legacy is beautiful, don’t get me wrong – his faith went to depths I’ll never know because I could only dream of being half the believer he was.
I wonder, in my own life – if in the past thirty two years, I had just waited on the Lord to fulfill His promises – what would my life look like? What would my legacy be? I know I still have time to leave a legacy that matters, but what about the first part of my life that I wasted by not waiting on Him? I’m in a season of waiting now, and it’s beautiful, it’s hard, but I know when the Lord fulfills His promises to me (however He may choose to do it), it will be the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced – and so completely worth every minute of the wait.
As I read this passage this morning, I couldn’t help but think about where I’m at right now, and how this has been the hardest season of my life, but it’s also been where I’ve grown in my faith the most. As I’ve wondered why that was, I realized it’s because I’m not giving into my deep desire for human attempt at fulfilling God’s promises. I’m not stepping into a place where my feet don’t belong. Don’t get me wrong – there have still been hurts, frustrations, and disappointments, maybe even more than before – but I know that it’s because God is creating in me a heart like His – and that He is preparing me for the very things that He has prepared for me. It’s a wild ride that has in part brought me half way around the world to South Africa – a place and people that I’ve fallen in love with. It’s a season and journey that I’ll see through to the very end, knowing that this way will bring the most glory to God (not to mention totally blow my socks off!).
by grace alone 