Advice for the Weary at Heart
Is there some area where you feel you have been "short-changed" by God, or do you feel something is overdue in coming your way?
A few months ago, I ran into George, a believer I'd recently gotten to know.
"I feel like my life isn't going anywhere," he told me.
"I've been out of a job for several months, and I would really like to get married, but I can't seem to find the right woman. I'm just anxious to see something happen, and it isn't!"
As we talked that day, I saw a pattern in my advice to him:
1. Keep Walking
It seemed like George was worried that he was missing out on God's will. I assured him that he would find it very hard to miss God's will if he was walking with Him consistently -- reading the Word and praying often to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
2. Keep Praying
"Oh, I have prayed," George said.
"How often?" I asked.
"Well…occasionally."
I reminded him that Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians to "be joyful always, pray continually" (5:16, 17, New International Version).
My advice was to keep praying until God showed him the answer was "yes" or "no," or he gained a peace from God that he should wait at this time.
3. Be Patient
Like George, our experience has trained us to expect to get what we want -- and right away. If we have to wait 5 minutes for fast food, we feel inconvenienced. And if God doesn't give us something that fits within our time frame, we get impatient and frustrated with Him.
However, Scripture tells us, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience..." (Galatians 5:22) and "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God…" (Romans 8:28).
4. Have an Eternal Perspective
George was definitely evaluating his life from the point of view of earth and time.
It helps me to keep the things of this life in a healthy perspective. To know and follow Christ causes any tangible benefit on earth to pale in comparison. "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord," Paul writes in Philippians 3:8.
So how about you? Is there some area where you feel you have been "short-changed" by God, or do you feel something is overdue in coming your way?
My advice to you is: Walk closely with God. Keep praying. Be patient (in the power of the Holy Spirit). Don't lose sight of what you do have from God and thank Him for it regularly.
If you're struggling with knowing what God wants you to do next, try reading How to Know God's Will.
