Delays

"This means tremendous joy to you, I know, even though you are temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials and temptations. This is no accident — it happens to prove your faith, which is infinitely more valuable than gold ..." (1 Peter 1:6-7 PH)

In order to build your faith, God will give you a dream. Then, He'll urge you to make a decision. But then He'll allow a delay, because in the delay He matures you and prepares you for what is to come.

The truth is, you'll have difficulties while God delays. This isn't because He doesn't care about you or that He's forgotten your circumstances; rather, it's one of the ways He pushes you toward the deep end of faith. God does this because He is building our faith and character. When we finally come to a place where the difficulties become so bad, where we've reached our limit, where we've tried everything and exhausted all our options, it is then that God begins a mighty work through us.

So, I subscribe to Rick Warren's "Daily Hope" and I've been receiving them for probably the past two or three years...and although I used to read them religiously (no pun intended), I can't deny that I've pretty much just overlooked them for the past year or so. Today's title really caught my attention though, "The Difficulties While God Delays." Hmmmm.... And what a perfect day to open this email! 

I've always known there was a reason I started going to my church. And I've always felt that it all "happened" at just the right time. It was father's day, three years ago. Aaron had just left for Minnesota. Everything that I had been trying to do to keep my life together wasn't really working. The relationship that I had just spent five years invested in, was failing. The man I was engaged to was a drug addict. The children I was raising with him, were now all mine to raise. Everything seemed to be falling apart. I knew I needed help. Around that time, I went to MN to visit Aaron in treatment and I spent two days participating in the Family Program at the treatment center. To say it was life changing would be an understatement. It was there that I felt this overwhelming sense of Christ. It was there that I met the people, total strangers, who prayed for me, with me, and over me. I honestly think this was the first time in my life that I felt like I didn't HAVE to do it all alone. Although I've always been a Believer, this was different. This wasn't just a feeling. This was a call to action. I came back home rejuvenated, focused, and stronger than ever...or so I thought! 

More recently, the breakup with JM has really challenged my faith again. My feelings for JM were genuine. I allowed myself to be so vulnerable. I let him into my world...which I had spent the past three years protecting so closely. For the first time since Aaron, I let someone into a life with my children. I was completely open. I see now that this may have been the dream that God gave me. Maybe He was preparing me for what's to come. Although things didn't work out with JM, I now see how amazing love can be. I know now what it feels like to be truly happy, to feel true love. Even though things didn't work out, I don't doubt the love that JM and I shared. I just think God has a different plan for me.

So now I'm in the delay stage. God is encouraging my faith. He's pushing me deeper into my faith. He's maturing me and preparing me for what's to come. Although I feel like I've already experienced the "worst day of my life" I know that I've not been given more than I've been able to handle. I've come out of each of the worst (so far) situations in my life, shining brighter than before. I know that I'm destined for great things. I know that God's got my back! I know that trusting Him, believing in Him, learning about Him, and following His word is my path to greatness.