Seeking God
I love how the Bible has continuity when it comes to seeking God and finding Him, to seeking His wisdom and receiving it. Matthew (7:7-8) tells us “ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” James (1:5-6) tells us “if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” Proverbs (8:17) tells us “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” Jeremiah (29:13) tells us “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” 2 Chronicles (7:14) tells us “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Deuteronomy (4:29) tells us “But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.” 1 chronicles (28:9) If you seek him, he will be found by you.”
When in times of pain or trouble, our response to these nuggets of wisdom in the bible should be simply stated, “My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek” (Psalm 27:8).
That’s exactly what i was doing a few years back. Out of that seeking, a song was birthed in my heart that I titled I Will Wait. I wrote it at a time in my life when I was seeking to know the God’s direction for my next steps. I was in a time of worship, asking God for His direction and proclaiming that when he spoke, I would listen and obey. My husband jokes with me about this song. He calls it my Battle Cry Song. He says it reminds him of a song that Aimee Semple McPherson would have wrote. And when I think about it, yes, it is a battle cry song. I was in the middle of extreme spiritual warfare. I felt like the Israelites in the desert, who had been delivered from physical bondage, but were waiting to get into the promised land. That wasn’t an easy time. They were in a holding pattern of sorts. The promise was awaiting them, but there were battles to be fought and won before they could inhabit the promised land.
My circumstances at that time in my life seemed bleak, to say the least. I was managing the 2 Curves that we owned, commuting daily between the two (one in lafayette, one in fairfield), working 60+ hours a week between the two clubs, all while volunteering a minimum of 15 hours at our church in various roles every week. I was growing tired and weary as one business was flourishing from the ground up, and the other was struggling to stay above water…and sinking fast. I was being drained in every manner – financially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I knew something needed to change, but first I had to hear from the Lord. My question seemed ongoing as I waited and waited and waited for the answer. I knew what answer I wanted, and when I wanted it…but I also knew that I couldn’t move ahead without God’s blessing to do so. I didn’t want to step outside of His will for my life. Thus this song was birthed in my heart.
I will wait patiently
I will wait for You to speak
I will stand here in this place
Lord come reveal to me Your grace
I will hear and obey
I will proclaim this is the day
When I will go wherever You lead
Lord come reveal Your will to me
I can remember, on many occasions, singing those words with all my heart, sobbing before the Lord out of pure anguish at my circumstances and utter determination to remain steadfast until He said to move no matter how much harder my circumstances became. It was pure will and the awesome knowledge that God had a plan and purpose in it all that sustained me during that time. Eventually, the Lord answered, and I was able to take my next steps forward into the blessing he had prepared for me. Since that time the Lord has used this song as encouragement in my life time and again.
Whatever you’re going through, wherever you’re at with God, whatever circumstances rise up against you to overwhelm and discourage you…remember that God is sovereign. He has a plan and purpose for your life; one that will be so much better than all you could ask or imagine. He will give you direction. All you need to do is seek him, ask him, and wait for His answer with the expectancy that yes, he will answer you, and the determination that your answer will be simply put: yes Lord!
