Confession #25 - Whatchaya Waitin' For?

Brick walls.  They are ugly and block some truly magnificent views.  These "views" are blessings; they are the answers to our prayers.  So many times when we are waiting on the Lord to answer our prayers these ugly brick walls pop up.  They may come up because of sin or perhaps  Satan is preventing us from realizing a dream God planted in our heart.  In either case I don't think that God intends to keep us from our blessing.  I think many of us mistake these proverbial brick walls for God answering no to our prayers or we might even believe that He's just saying wait.  I don't always think that is so.  I believe that if it's sin that has built the ugly brick wall, then we need to systematically remove it brick by brick with confession, forgiveness, and repentance until we can get through to that blessing.  If it's Satan who's put up the wall, then by all means kick it down!!!   But sometimes that brick wall exsists because we are not doing our part to help our prayer to become a reality.

Just the other day one of the pastors from my church posted this on facebook:

"Another piece from Bob Goff's book, "Love Does": I once heard somebody say that God had closed a door on an opportunity they had hoped for. But I've always wondered if, when we want to do something that we know is right and good, God places that desire deep in our hearts because He wants it for us and it honors Him. Maybe there are times when we think a door has been closed and, instead of misinterpreting the circumstances, God wants us to kick it down. Or perhaps just sit outside of it long enough until somebody tells us we can come in."

I somewhat agree.  However this is how I see it, a closed door is God's way of saying no, but a brick wall, that isn't.  In Psalm 27:14 the psalmist says, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and wait."  and Psalm 114:5 says, "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope." 

Many of us Christians have come to believe that if we pray in faith and sit around waiting on God to move, eventually our prayers will be answered.  While I do believe that sometimes God works like this I tend to think that God wants us to put our faith into action. Believe it or not, we have the power and the ability to break through to the blessings God has in store for us. 

I also agree with the author Bob Goff, that God places desires deep in our hearts because He wants them for us.  God builds our faith to enable us to help realize this desire.  However, it's up to us to put that faith into action.  Too many times we think we need to just "wait" on the Lord, but honestly if God gives us a desire, we are not supposed to sit around literally "waiting"  doing nothing to accomplish this.  We have to put faith into action!   It may take a while to knock down that wall but if we do our part and allow God to do His then we can get through those brick walls eventually.

About a year ago it became necessary for me to take on a part time office job.  Anyone, who's looking for part time office work these days knows how hard these jobs are to find.  I remember feeling strongly that it would be terrific if I could just get a part time job at my church and I continued to have this desire.  I shared the feeling with my cousin and she asked, "Do they have any openings?"  "No," was my reply.  "Okay well do you know if they need someone with your qualifications?"  "I don't know," I said.  "Well do they have the budget to create a position for you?"  "I don't think so," I answered.  "Well Joanne," she said, "I think it's a pipe dream."  But I didn't, I felt like God had placed that desire in my heart for a reason.  So I decided to pray about it.  I prayed and prayed and trusted God but I didn't wait around for an answer.  I kept looking for a job.  I'd send out my resumes and I reasoned that if it was God's will for me to work somewhere other than church than I'd get a job and if not something would open up for me.  In the time I waited I actually took down a brick wall by putting my faith into action.  I did my part, I looked for a job and God did His part.  Almost a year had gone by and no job offers, however, in May the church offered me a part time position. 

Since then God has placed a new desire in my heart. I've been praying about it and trusting God.  For a few months, I've been hoping that this dream will come true but recently God has reminded me that if I am to realize this dream, I have to break through that ugly o' brick wall and actually take all the necessary steps to make that dream come true.  So I've decided that instead of just sitting around waiting for some amazing miracle to occur, that I need to do the work it takes to make that dream a reality.  If it's God's will, as long as I'm doing my part, He will do His.

So whatchaya waiting for?  Are you just waiting for your dreams to come true or are you going to break through that brick wall and get your blessing!

Father, I confess that many times I've waited around on my tookus instead of doing my part.  I pray that you would help me to always recognize when I'm faced with a brick wall and just how to break through it to receive the blessing you have intended for me.  And Dear Lord, for my sisters in Christ who are starring at their own brick walls, I pray that you would put a sledgehammer in their hands today."  AMEN!