Too quickly, in my estimation. I blink and it’s Christmas again. I open my eyes to a new day and discover that my daughters are a year older (and so am I). I pay my taxes and find that they’re due again. Like an Olympic luge competitor, I tip my day into motion and discover I’m already at the finish line.
There are, however, a few exceptions to the speeding chute of life. One is when we're waiting for important results that will affect the course of our lives.
A legal or financial judgment.
Medical test results.
An acceptance letter.
Waiting for any one of these makes time move as slowly as grandma on the interstate. So what do we do while we’re waiting for the news?
We purpose not to fear.
“Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea” (Psa. 46:2).
We reaffirm our trust in God, who holds our days in his hands.
“When I am afraid, I will trust in you” (Psa. 56:3).
We appeal to God’s mercy instead of bargaining and negotiating with him on the basis of our good works.
“We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy” (Dan. 9:18).
We pray with fervency and persistence, as long as there is hope. David prayed this way when his infant son lay dying.
"While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live'" (2 Sam. 12:22).
We decide in advance to accept whatever comes from God’s hand, trusting that God’s grace will enable us to bear it, even if the verdict isn’t what we hope.
“What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips” (Job 2:10).
We remind ourselves that God is for us, that he can use everything for good, and that his ultimate purpose for our lives is to redeem us and point others to himself. In this we place our hope.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28).
We fix our eyes on the finish line.
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18).
If you’re waiting for a verdict today, large or small, I pray the time will move quickly and that you will accept God’s grace to face whatever lies ahead with faith and courage.
May I tell you about my new book, Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women?
Today's women want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.
You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:
• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray?
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me?
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit?
Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you.