Patiently Waiting...

there comes a time in our life, well actually a number of times, where we find ourselves in the midst of waiting. whether its waiting for a job, waiting for results from a test, waiting for a husband or wife, or even waiting for God to reveal a plan he has for you. im in the midst of waiting right now. this summer has been an amazing experience for me. i have learned so much about culture, people, children, passions, love, and even some medical things i didn't really care to know about. God has stretched me a lot this summer, and one thing he has stretched me really hard on is waiting. not only waiting, but waiting patiently. waiting paitently are probably the two hardest things to do. as humans we are always wanting it now, right now. not later, not tomorrow, but now. but if God always gave us what we wanted right when we wanted it, where would prayer come in? when would we spend time with him? when would we seek him? its when we are waiting that we find ourselves seeking him and praying more and more. i have found that there is something i want really bad, and if i want it bad enough i will do whatever it takes to get it. but then i have to pause. i heard this sermon about the desires of our heart. the pastor talked about wanting something so bad. and i thought to myself, wow i want this one thing really bad. then the next thing he said was, is this something that God desires for you? or is it something you desire? i had to think to myself, ya know, i have no idea. i began to pray "Lord is this disire from you? or me?" how do you know when a desire is from God or from yourself? im having a hard time understanding that one. but as i continue to seek God i am reminded by Psalm 37..."commit your ways unto the Lord.....delight yourself in him and he will give you the desires of your heart." pause...so many times people see that verse and thing ok see God is going to give me the desires of my heart...but if you look at the verse it clearly states :"DELIGHT YOURSELF IN HIM..and..." we have to delight ourselves in him. only then will his desires become our desires. we have to delight in spending time with him. delight in reading his word, delight in telling people about him, delight in the plans he has for us. i recently wrote a song called "i am still." this song talks about waiting patiently. one of the lines in the chorus is "how beautiful are the hands of thine my king. how beautiful are the plans you have for me." no matter what i desire for myself, God's desires are so much bigger and better and more beautiful than i could ever think of for myself. i find myself praying so selfishly sometimes. praying that this would happen and that would happen, but as i study his word, i realize i should be praying : Lord let your will be done. let your desires become mine. only then will God give me the desires of my heart becuase only then will his desires become my desires therefore giving me the BEST i could ask for. so many times we are afraid to commit our ways to the Lord. so many times we are afraid of giving him something, but..HE CREATED US!! HE LOVES US!! HE WANTS THE BEST FOR US!! he's not going to let us down. Isaiah says that those whose hope is in the Lord will never be disappointed. my hope is in the Lord. God has truely spoken to me these past few days and continues to speak to me. as i come down to my last day here in Salone, i will rejoice and praise him for his wonderful mercy. he has taught me so much and i am so blessed! blessed be his name! FOREVER!! or in Krio...blessed be de name ob da Lord tehhhh!!

Dangerously surrendered. Have you?