Originally published Wednesday, 02 October 2013.
But God's not finished. He's waiting around to be gracious to you. He's gathering strength to show mercy to you. God takes the time to do everything right—everything. Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones. Isaiah 30:18 (MSG)
3 months waiting to do a PET scan and find out if the stem cell transplant my husband underwent has removed all trace of cancer.
91 days of praying that this scan will be clean.
2184 hours trying not to think of “what if’s” and unknowns.
131 040 minutes hoping that cancer is part of our history, not our future.
Sometimes I am tired of waiting.
Done with everything. Over waiting for medical results. Frustrated that I don’t know when this whole cancer treatment thing will end.
Sometimes I feel finished.
Which is why I loved discovering this verse about how God is not finished.
God isn’t done with me, he isn’t over waiting on me to trust him or tired that I keep revisiting the same worries all the time.
God is waiting around to be gracious to me. (tweet this)
God’s waiting.
God’s waiting on me.
God’s hanging around looking for ways to serve or attend to me.
God’s waiting for me to let him be gracious to me.
Seriously, that’s what waiting means when it’s used like this. I looked it up!
So often when I think of waiting I think of me waiting on God for an answer, direction, strength.
I rarely think of God waiting on me.
I’ve never thought about God waiting to show grace to me.
I can’t count how many times I have left God twiddling his thumbs instead of asking for his grace.
I’ve seen waiting as an inconvenient delay rather than as an opportunity for grace, I have failed to see that waiting can be the way that God chooses to make everything right.
For me waiting has always felt like punishment or at best an unavoidable part of life but this verse ends with the promise that those who wait around for God are the lucky ones.
I’m beginning to understand that if waiting is grace – if waiting is God’s way to put everything right – then as I wait I acknowledge that God’s not finished, even when I am. (tweet this)
Ponder: Have you ever thought about God waiting on you? How does that change your idea of waiting on God?
Prayer: God, I’m waiting for things to change. Let me know your grace as I wait. Amen. (tweet this)
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This post orginally appeared here: http://www.ilovedevotionals.com/2013/08/but-gods-not-finished.html#sthash.tZ0yEETh.dpuf
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