God's will

I was listening to a message today by Jack Graham on his radio program Powerpoint.  He is talking about how God guides us.  He quoted the verses in Proverbs 3:5-6 which was also a very important passage to me, particularly in college when I was trying to decide what to do.  Essentially, it says that our main objective is not to figure God out, but rather to trust Him and to surrender our ways to Him.

To surrender means to me that I am yielding my own desires and will and laying them down at Jesus's feet.  I am willing to move or mold or change my plans to His.  This does call for trust because it is saying that I don't know what is best.  In the end, a lot of sin is due to the fact that deep down we truly do believe we know best.  Jack mentioned in his sermon times when God does not seem to be working or has us in a holding pattern.  When things are not working out as fast as we think they should we may have a tendency to jump ahead of God and try to fix things ourselves.

I have a history of doing this at times.  I grow impatient when I don't see things happening.  I want action, sometimes even if it is simply action for its own sake, rather than waiting.  Years ago, I read a book called "God's Waiting Room".  I'm not sure if it is in print anymore.  If it is, I think it should be required reading for every believer.  Sooner or later we find ourselves there.  Waiting is one of the things I hate the most.  I had to sit this week in a waiting room with one of my clients for about two hours.  I came back to the office and declared "Hell is a waiting room where your number is never called."  I would rather be doing than waiting any day.

The fact is though, that sometimes we are not ready for what God has in store for us yet.  God is attempting to mold us or grow us or build within us some quality that He wants us to have.  The thing is, that waiting itself can build trust.  It certainly calls for us to practice patience.  Even sitting here writing that, I wish that was not true.  There may be many other reasons that God may have us in a holding pattern at different times.  Some of which we may never know this side of glory.  But, the question is, will I trust God even when I don't see him working.  Will I trust Him even when prayers are not getting answered as fast as I would like?  Do I ultimately believe that God can do anything and that He hears me even when there is no easy response?

"Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal." Isaiah 26:4

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat coems; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in th eyear of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:7

"The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him." Nahum 1:7

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a snake? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, though you are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?" Matthew 7:9-11