We still cannot see where it ends. Oh how I LONG to see its end.
It's been fourteen weeks since the husband was let go from his job.
Fourteen weeks he has been searching for a new one. He's found nothing.
Fourteen weeks of praying for a job to open up for him, for the Lord to provide some specific direction. Fourteen weeks of searching His word and crying, "Lord, Hear our prayer!"
Yet, we wait.
Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Psalm 27:14
Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him. Isaiah 30:18
Waiting, my friends, is hard to do. Like crazy hard to do! I hate it a little. And by little, I mean a ton!
Waiting can make us feel helpless. But helplessness in waiting can be an awesome motivator to seek God all the more; a strong motivator to cling to our faith. That does not, however, mean it will be easy.
Clinging to faith in the hard times is a battle. It is a constant standing fast.
Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13
Clinging to your faith means you have to be ready to fight!
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:12
Clinging to your faith means choosing to trust who God is - loving, faithful, merciful, provider, kind, full of grace, our rock, our shield, our restorer, righteous, holy, mighty to save! Just to name a few.
And clinging to our faith is better when you have reinforcements!!
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Romans 12:9-15
The husband and I have shed many a tear in the last fourteen weeks. The majority of those tears have not been shed because of our circumstances. Those tears have been shed because of the overwhelming way our church family has lived up to this scripture.
Our church family has sacrificed for us. They have, with generous spirits, distributed to the needs of our family. They have lifted some of our burden, keeping our financial situation from being far worse than it could be, never asking anything in return. They poured God's provision through them to us.
They have left us humbled and overwhelmed!
They have wrapped their arms around us in our tribulation, diligently lifting our cause in prayer. Crying out to God on our behalf, trusting that He will come through.
They have made us feel loved and supported!
They have showered us with comforting words and scripture, even arriving at our doorstep, unexpectedly, to declare, "God has not forgotten you!"
The Lord Himself will go before you; He will not leave you or forget you. Don't be afraid and don't worry.
Deuteronomy 31:8
The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Isaiah 43:2-3a
Oh how we've needed these good words!
They are always striving to encourage our faith! Always seeking to point us to Jesus! Always seeking to comfort and strengthen!
They have given us strength, and hope, to continue to stand firm in faith!
Our church family has hugged us, and cried with us, and told us how much we are loved. They patiently wait with us for the day of rejoicing when the husband gets a new job.
These people, our church family, they are not perfect - thank goodness or I would not fit right in! But they desire to live a love without hypocrisy. They have allowed God's love to be poured out through them. They have lifted us up in a time of trouble! They have been a blessing for which I thank God every day! They seek to be what God intends the church to be - servants of the Lord who give Him the glory!
Praise His Holy name!!
Christine
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