{"id":4120,"date":"2018-10-24T08:00:31","date_gmt":"2018-10-24T13:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/?p=4120"},"modified":"2019-03-14T14:57:46","modified_gmt":"2019-03-14T19:57:46","slug":"on-waiting-well","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/2018\/10\/24\/on-waiting-well\/","title":{"rendered":"On Waiting Well"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by Rebecca Shirey<\/strong><\/p>\n

As for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7<\/em><\/p>\n

A few years ago, my husband, Lou, dreamed about waiting. We were in a prolonged season of delay, wondering when it would end. Each day we sought direction from God, but His instruction stayed the same\u2014wait. We were nearing frustration when God gave Lou the dream.<\/p>\n

It took place in an airport, unusual by post 9\/11 standards. To get to departure gates, passengers walked through open-air atriums, set with rows of benches. As Lou entered one atrium, he noticed the right side was warmed by the sun. The other side was darkened by the shadow of a building.<\/p>\n

Only one person sat on the benches. He was a lone man resting on the sunny side with suitcases stacked around his feet. Lou noticed his pleasant, peaceful expression, and then recognized the man. Lou walked over, bent down and said, \u201cLeon, this is Lou.\u201d Then he awoke. Immediately, Lou sensed God showing him a picture of how we should wait\u2014 with contentment, joy, and peace but with bags packed and ready to move forward at any moment.<\/p>\n

When Lou shared his dream with me, I was struck by the awareness that the man in his dream was the only blind man we know\u2014a man who couldn\u2019t see what was ahead but rested secure and trusting in the destination.<\/p>\n

IPHC Women\u2019s Ministries is in a waiting season, awaiting the appointment of a new director. You might be in a personal season of waiting, for God to answer a prayer or to fulfill a dream. As we wait on God to move, consider these three principles of waiting well.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Rush the Wait<\/strong><\/p>\n

The biblical word for wait <\/em>is not like the foot tapping impatience we experience when we discover we\u2019re, once again, in the slowest line at the grocery store. The definition in scripture connotes not passivity but alertness. It\u2019s a conscious pursuit. It\u2019s active. It\u2019s anticipating. It\u2019s maturing.<\/p>\n

Sue Kidd describes waiting as a \u201cstill journey.\u201d The still journey does not halt our progress. Instead, it quickens our pace in God\u2019s direction. After all, what God is ultimately after is us.<\/p>\n

God will use any circumstance in our lives to give us opportunities to journey inward, to give us time to recognize and embrace His purpose for our lives, and to give Him time to change us from the inside out.<\/p>\n

Waiting shifts our focus from an outcome to Him. The closer we get to God, the more we realize He is not in a hurry. The closer we get to God, the more we are willing to be still and wait for as long it takes.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Fear Unchartered Territory<\/strong><\/p>\n

While you wait, pray for courage to move into unchartered territory. God doesn\u2019t require a season of waiting only to leave us where we were before. Waiting ushers in change.<\/p>\n

God wants to move in your life and in Women\u2019s Ministries, in new ways. The person or ministry we are today cannot hold the increase God has planned. Increase requires a new container. One that is flexible, changeable, and pliable (Matthew 9:17). Keep in mind, His methods might not resemble His work in others or how He has moved previously.<\/p>\n

Embrace the change He brings. The hardest thing we might be called on to do, is not to do what we\u2019ve always done.<\/p>\n

While God is working in this waiting season, ask God for a greater understanding of His love for you and an increased measure of your love for Him. God\u2019s perfect love drives out fear (I John 4:18). Cast aside fear so you can go where you\u2019ve never been before.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Neglect Prayer<\/strong><\/p>\n

God sets the priority of prayer in Psalm 2:8 when He says to His Son, \u201cAsk of Me.\u201d Be bold in your asking. God has immeasurably more purpose for your life and for IPHC Women\u2019s Ministries.<\/p>\n

Ask God to ready your heart for His next move. Pray for greater degrees of intimacy with Him. Ask Him for enlarged territory and multiplied influence for His glory. Pray for God to work His will in your life and in the life of the woman He calls to lead.<\/p>\n

The psalmist made this declaration in prayer: \u201cThe Lord will fulfill his purpose for me\u201d (Psalm 138:8). Paul wrote a similar declaration in his letter to the Philippians: \u201cHe who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion\u201d (1:6).<\/p>\n

God has a plan to insure a progressive maturity in your life and to accomplish an intended purpose through your days. He will sometimes call you to wait, but the wait will result in His highest possible good for you and for the women you lead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"excerpt","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":4121,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,37],"tags":[749,16,1005,48,1012],"class_list":{"0":"post-4120","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general","8":"category-womens-ministries","9":"tag-749","10":"tag-discipleship","11":"tag-patience","12":"tag-prayer","13":"tag-rebecca-shirey","14":"entry"},"title_es":"Esperando bien","content_es":"Escrito por Rebecca Shirley<\/strong> En cuanto a m\u00ed, miro con esperanza al SE\u00d1OR, espero a Dios mi Salvador; Dios m\u00edo me oir\u00e1. Miqueas 7: 7<\/em> Hace unos a\u00f1os, mi esposo, Lou, so\u00f1aba con esperar. Est\u00e1bamos en una temporada prolongada de retraso, pregunt\u00e1ndonos cu\u00e1ndo terminar\u00eda. Todos los d\u00edas busc\u00e1bamos la direcci\u00f3n de Dios, pero su instrucci\u00f3n se mantuvo igual, espera. Est\u00e1bamos acerc\u00e1ndonos a la frustraci\u00f3n cuando Dios le dio a Lou el sue\u00f1o. Tuvo lugar en un aeropuerto, inusual para los est\u00e1ndares posteriores al 11 de septiembre. Para llegar a las puertas de salida, los pasajeros caminaban por los atrios al aire libre, con hileras de bancos. Cuando Lou entr\u00f3 en un atrio, not\u00f3 que el lado derecho se calentaba con el sol. El otro lado estaba oscurecido por la sombra de un edificio. S\u00f3lo una persona se sent\u00f3 en los bancos. Era un hombre solitario que descansaba en el lado soleado con las maletas apiladas alrededor de sus pies. Lou not\u00f3 su expresi\u00f3n agradable y pac\u00edfica, y luego reconoci\u00f3 al hombre. Lou se acerc\u00f3, se agach\u00f3 y dijo: \"Leon, este es Lou\". Luego se despert\u00f3. Inmediatamente, Lou sinti\u00f3 que Dios le mostraba una imagen de c\u00f3mo deber\u00edamos esperar: con alegr\u00eda, alegr\u00eda y paz, pero con las maletas empacadas y listas para avanzar en cualquier momento. Cuando Lou comparti\u00f3 su sue\u00f1o conmigo, me sorprendi\u00f3 la conciencia de que el hombre en su sue\u00f1o era el \u00fanico ciego que conocemos, un hombre que no pod\u00eda ver lo que estaba adelante pero que estaba seguro y confiado en el destino. Los Ministerios de Mujeres de IPHC est\u00e1n en una temporada de espera, a la espera del nombramiento de un nuevo director. Usted podr\u00eda estar en una temporada personal de espera, para que Dios responda una oraci\u00f3n o realice un sue\u00f1o. Mientras esperamos que Dios se mueva, considere estos tres principios de esperar bien. No apure la espera<\/strong> La palabra b\u00edblica para esperar<\/em> no es como la impaciencia de tocar con el pie que experimentamos cuando descubrimos que, una vez m\u00e1s, estamos en la l\u00ednea m\u00e1s lenta en el supermercado. La definici\u00f3n en las escrituras no connota pasividad sino estado de alerta. Es una b\u00fasqueda consciente. Es activo Se est\u00e1 anticipando. Est\u00e1 madurando. Sue Kidd describe la espera como un \"viaje inm\u00f3vil\". El viaje inm\u00f3vil no detiene nuestro progreso. En cambio, acelera nuestro paso en la direcci\u00f3n de Dios. Despu\u00e9s de todo, lo que Dios es en \u00faltima instancia despu\u00e9s de nosotros somos nosotros. Dios usar\u00e1 cualquier circunstancia en nuestras vidas para darnos oportunidades de viajar hacia adentro, para darnos tiempo para reconocer y abrazar Su prop\u00f3sito para nuestras vidas, y para darle tiempo para cambiarnos de adentro hacia afuera. La espera cambia nuestro enfoque de un resultado a \u00c9l. Cuanto m\u00e1s nos acercamos a Dios, m\u00e1s nos damos cuenta de que \u00c9l no tiene prisa. Cuanto m\u00e1s nos acercamos a Dios, m\u00e1s estamos dispuestos a estar quietos y esperar todo el tiempo que sea necesario. No temas<\/strong> al territorio desconocido. Mientras esperas, ora pidiendo valor para pasar a un territorio desconocido. Dios no requiere un tiempo de espera solo para dejarnos donde est\u00e1bamos antes. Esperando los ujieres en el cambio. Dios quiere moverse en tu vida y en los Ministerios de Mujeres, de nuevas maneras. La persona o el ministerio que somos hoy no puede sostener el aumento que Dios ha planeado. Aumento requiere un nuevo contenedor. Una que es flexible, cambiante y flexible (Mateo 9:17). Tenga en cuenta que sus m\u00e9todos pueden no parecerse a su trabajo en otros o c\u00f3mo se ha movido anteriormente. Abrazar el cambio que trae. Lo m\u00e1s dif\u00edcil para lo que podr\u00edamos estar llamados, es no hacer lo que siempre hemos hecho. Mientras Dios est\u00e1 trabajando en este tiempo de espera, p\u00eddale a Dios que le brinde una mejor comprensi\u00f3n de su amor por usted y una mayor medida de su amor por \u00e9l. El amor perfecto de Dios expulsa el miedo (I Juan 4:18). Deja de lado el miedo para que puedas ir donde nunca has estado. No descuide la oraci\u00f3n<\/strong> Dios establece la prioridad de la oraci\u00f3n en el Salmo 2: 8 cuando dice a su Hijo: \"Preg\u00fanteme\". Sea audaz en su pregunta. Dios tiene mucho m\u00e1s prop\u00f3sito para tu vida y para los Ministerios de Mujeres de IPHC. P\u00eddale a Dios que prepare su coraz\u00f3n para su pr\u00f3ximo movimiento. Ora por mayores grados de intimidad con \u00e9l. P\u00eddele territorio ampliado y influencia multiplicada para su gloria. Ora para que Dios obre su voluntad en tu vida y en la vida de la mujer que \u00c9l llama a dirigir. El salmista hizo esta declaraci\u00f3n en oraci\u00f3n: \"El Se\u00f1or cumplir\u00e1 su prop\u00f3sito para m\u00ed\" (Salmo 138: 8). Pablo escribi\u00f3 una declaraci\u00f3n similar en su carta a los filipenses: \"El que comenz\u00f3 una buena obra en ti, la llevar\u00e1 a t\u00e9rmino\" (1: 6). Dios tiene un plan para asegurar una madurez progresiva en su vida y para lograr un prop\u00f3sito intencional a trav\u00e9s de sus d\u00edas. A veces lo llamar\u00e1 para que espere, pero la espera resultar\u00e1 en su mayor bien posible para usted y para las mujeres que dirige.","author_name":"","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/On-Waiting-Well-Becky-Shirey.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4T9u2-14s","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4120","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4120"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4120\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4121"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4120"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4120"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}