1 Peter 5:10 ESV
”And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
Raise your hand if you keep a journal to record your daily life, including your thoughts, hopes and dreams. I have kept a journal since I was a teenager. Over the years, I have discovered some of those written glimpses to my past. Most recently, I skimmed through the pages of my early 2023 prayer journal. These written snapshots from the Holy Spirit are being pressed upon my heart again here in early 2024.
Learning to Trust
One snippet that caught my attention was, “Trust in my promises. Trust that what I have spoken will come to pass.” After reading these words, I turned to the Bible to find a verse that would correlate. I then came upon Psalm 37, verses three and four. “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (NIV) In this season of waiting, God is highlighting the concept of trust to me.
One of the most notable stories of trust in the Bible is found in the book of Genesis. We see Abraham commanded by God to offer his son, his promised son Issac as a sacrifice. Abraham did as he was told, and brought Isaac up the mountain to be set upon the altar.
At the very last moment, we see the angel of the Lord, God himself, calling out to Abraham and stating “Do not lay a hand on the boy. Now I know that you fear God because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” (Genesis 22:12 NIV paraphrased) Reading over this part of Scripture has challenged me to ask myself, “Do I trust God enough right now to hand over anything that is standing in between me and my full surrender to the Lord?”
Interactive Waiting
Not only is God highlighting to me the importance of trust, He is also identifying the significance of interactive waiting. A portion of my journal entry from February 2023 included these important truths, “Draw near to me with a sincere heart. Press into me and be present.” Psalm 37:7 instructs to “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.” (NLT)
If you are in a season of waiting, you can prepare your heart by drawing near to God. This time will include precious moments between you and the Lord. Turn up the worship music and praise Him! Dive into a biblically based book. Sign up to serve at your local church in an area that suits your spiritual gifts. Remember that God is “Jehovah Jireh” and He is indeed working behind the scenes to get everything lined up for the promises He’s planned just for you. Press into the wait.
Earlier this week, I heard a worship song that was new to me. The Holy Spirit pressed upon my heart the idea that “He is removing the old to make room for the new.” And as I heard from Brandon Lake’s song, Turnaround, “Out of the wreckage comes a treasure. Out of the ashes comes the most amazing things.” This song lyric highlights what is found in 1 Peter 5:10. We have to suffer a little while. It’s inevitable while we are living here on earth. But by His grace, God will restore, strengthen, and establish you.
Action Steps
- If you are in a season of waiting, identify one way how you press into the wait.
- Ask, “In what areas do I need to release control, trust, and fully surrender to God?”