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Ok so I’m not as constant of a blogger… at least not as much as I hoped to be when I started out. I think, as I look back, that I blog whenever I have something that really caught my eye, made me upset, or just feel so bottled up (not necessarily mad or upset.. just stuffed and in want of letting things out).

Two weeks ago I heard a sermon at church about waiting. Now how cliche would that topic be… not just for Christians, but for people in general. Everyone seems to be in a hurry these days for everything. Whether it’s at McDonalds when someone else is ahead of you for their morning coffe and you’re going to get out of the store 20 seconds later than you anticipated or whether it’s about huge decisions through the course of life- like what school to go to, or where should I work. We want everything now. This moment. Not 10 seconds from now, but 10 seconds before now.

It’s a hard concept to grasp- this.. waiting. Well.. don’t you think it is? Like really sit down and think about it; or better yet.. I’ll let you in on what’s going on in my mind (forgive me if it sounds jumbled.. or doesnt make sense..):

“Ok. So I’m done with school now. Well.. yeah, I have 4,000 hours of apprenticeship to do and then do my Red Seal exam. Then I have to start saving up from now for the future so I can support my own family someday. Ok the job at the golf club is good, but not good enough. I can’t start a future with this!? I want something better.. now! I mean, yeah, it’s only been 3 months since school has been over and I have already got a job in my field, but so what?! It’s not where I want to be so it’s not good enough! I mean, I can’t keep going on like this can I? Oh! A car! I need a car.. but I don’t want my Dad to pay for it. But I need it now. With work and all, and just if I want to go out… it would be really nice. But for that I need a better job. So what if it’s only been 3 months since school’s over! I need that perfect job now! I can’t wait! There’s too much at stake for waiting! “

That’s just a part of some of the issues we all face. We don’t want to wait. We always have to have everything now! And if we don’t then we start to worry. We start to compare ourselves to other people. We start to become restless, agitated, upset, jealous, depressed….

There’s a time for everything… Time to work, time to play, time to laugh, time to cry, time to love, time to chastise, time to eat, time to sleep, time to endure challenges.. there’s a time for everything. But with rushing things, we’re trying to take time in our own hands; forgetting that only God has that power.

You know, if we only trusted God with all our troubles in the first place, we wouldn’t have to worry about where we would be or would like to be in the future. We wouldn’t have to rush anything because we know that whatever He does, He does for our good. And that He makes everything beautiful in His time.

Simple example: I was working in the kitchen this week and on two of the days we were really busy. But the outcomes of the two days were completely different. The first day that it was really busy caught me by surprise. I panicked. Started rushing orders out when the other half of one order that was being prepared by another chef wasn’t even done yet. I was rushing everything because I let circumstances get the better of me. I didn’t wait, look at the ticket with the orders, think about what goes on when. Instead, I started rushing everything and almost created a mess out of the whole service. But the second time, one of the cooks talked to me. Told me to relax, asked me my strengths and weaknesses, told me to wait, think, and don’t panic. That was one busy service, but it couldn’t have gone smoother than it did.

I learned how important it is to wait. Commit everything to God and just wait on Him and his perfect time. Wait! Think before you do anything. Stop worrying about the future and just wait and let it happen.

Okay, so it’s 2:12 am and I’m awake. Can’t sleep so I thought I’d see if any of my friends are online. Hah! not really :)

I just finished  watching Death Race, and I don’t know why but Daniel came to my head. Daniel? Daniel who?? Then it struck me. Daniel from the Bible. I don’t know why Joseph didn’t pop up because he would have fit the scenario that Jason Statham faced. But Daniel came to my mind. Speaking about Daniel, I’m reminded of when I was yet in Youth Group and when we did a series on the life and on the book of Daniel. That was a really good study. He was captured and tried and tested and with God’s help he triumphed for God’s glory through His strength. Then I started thinking about why I’m thinking about Daniel and then the three young men, Shadrak, Mishak and Abednego came to my mind. They stood for what was right and man tried to conform them to their own standards and when they wouldn’t they tried to kill God’s men. And even that didn’t work because Jesus saved them. Then, my mind ventured to Daniel in the lions’ den. Wow! Imagine that! Being captured because you pray to the one true God and being thrown in a den full of hungry lions! That’s not fun; I’m pretty sure they lions weren’t friendly and that you wouldn’t think they’re cute and would let you touch their maine if you try to be nice. But miraculously, nothing happened to Daniel because God protected him. Now, Joseph comes to my mind. How he was sold into slavery by his brothers, and how because of his faithfulness to God that he became a great man in Egypt. And that even after running away from Pharaoh’s wife who tried to seduce him, he got put in prison for something he didn’t do. And how God brought him out of there and made him second in command in Egypt because of his faithfulness to God.

And then… then my mind goes to Jesus… My Lord, my God, my Savior, my Friend… The one who died for my sins… He did NOTHING wrong!!! and yet, they crucified Him… he let them crucify Him so that I could live!!! Me! an ungrateful, sinful man can live because of Him taking my place and punishment. 

All of these men had one thing in common: they did nothing wrong. Everything they did pleased God, I’m sure, but yet they were persecuted. Makes you wonder why sometimes… why would God allow that. Why do we let our kids certain mistakes, so that when we fail we learn from it… and we learn by the consequences of that mistake. I’m sure these men were not doing anything wrong, but God wanted to show his glory to them and to everyone around them. He wanted to show them the truth. He wanted them to learn from the lives of others. He wanted them to see that He is God and He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) I love that verse because its saying that everything that you go through or that anyone goes through is not new; someone or the other has been through it before. So, God won’t allow you to go through something that you can’t handle with His strength. He also says in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”. Therefore, if we can do all things through Christ, and if He won’t let us go through something we can’t handle, we can handle anything as long as it’s by His strength. And once we do, and once we overcome that situation, we will see and learn that He is able and that He is real and that He cares…. And not only us, but others will see, too, that He is God!

So don’t complain when you’re persecuted; don’t whine because you’re having a rough time.

 

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Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you

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Will you be willing to endure… for His glory and His sake…

Will you be willing to trust Him and let Him be victorious over your persecution….

Will you take the final stand…. for Him

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