While Waiting: Don’t Give Up

A friend encouraged me not to give up on God while waiting. Frankly, until he said that, I hadn’t considered giving up on God an option. All of the sudden, it became an option. A very easy one.

Practical Tip: Hide the Word of the Lord in your heart, brain, and pocket.

When I’m memorizing a verse, I write it on a note card and carry it in my pocket. I have often been frustrated, shoved my hands in my pockets, and literally found scripture to cling to.

Find a scripture (or six) that never get old. Sometimes even just a word or two (rather than the whole verse) will be all you need. Other days, you’ll need the chapter in its entirety.

Here are some of my favorite passages for the last year:

“Yet still I dare to hope when I remember this: the faithful love of the Lord never ends. His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness. His mercies begin anew each morning. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my inheritance, therefore I will hope in Him.” Lamentations 3:21-14 NLT

“The Lord your God is in your midst. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. With His love, He will calm your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV, NLT, NIV combo)

“Not only so but we also rejoice in our suffering because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, hope, and hope does not disappoint because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” Romans 5:3-5 NIV

Practical Tip: Find good resources such as movies, books, blogs, CDs, quotes that you can use as encouragement when you feel like giving up.

I know, money’s tight when you’re unemployed. I get it. We all have birthdays, friends with libraries, and sometimes a little bit of babysitting money. Beg and borrow if you have to but definitely don’t steal.

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Week one I invited you to build you own faith chapter, potentially in a list of things you’re thankful for. The idea came from this book. Looking for things to be grateful for makes it harder to be cynical.

Walking by Faith: Lessons Learned in the Dark by Jennifer Rothschild
We did this women’s Bible study this spring. I wish I would have discovered it sooner.

“While I’m Waiting” by John Waller
Part of keeping busy is asking how you’re serving and worshiping the Lord while you’re waiting.

Rescue by Peder Eide
I put this CD in my car’s disc-changer last August and haven’t taken it out since. It’s full of great reminders of how much your Abba Father adores you.

Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium
It’s such a great movie! One of the opening lines: “All stories, even our favorites, must come to an end. This allows for new stories to begin.”

Practical Tip: Draw close to the Father. Don’t consider giving up on God an option.

You know that thing you keep praying about and asking God to take away? He hasn’t taken it away because He’s using it to keep you close to Him.

Imagine the faith you’d have if you weren’t going through this. Ask the Lord to use this to draw you closer to Him.

Now that we’ve finished our series on waiting (Remember, Cry, Keep Busy), is there anything you were hoping I’d talk about that I didn’t? How has God used a time of waiting to draw you close to Him?

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