Building My Belief: Part 2

So, picking up where I left off yesterday…

There I was, learning what it looked like to follow the Lord and discovering His character, creativity, and compassion. That season was a beautiful adventure in so many ways, but more and more, I became aware of how much I missed home. So, I slowly started to pray for an opportunity to move back closer to my family.

Of course, losing my job wasn’t the road I would have picked, but after praying for a while, it’s the one I found myself on. And while I’ll never know all of God’s reasons for allowing that, I do know that in walking out that waiting with Him, He taught me more about His character than I had ever seen or felt before, and He began building a belief that was bigger than the unknowns I was facing.

Every day of that waiting I prayed, keeping my eyes on Him expectantly.

Because despite doubts and frustrations, I believed He would come through. Looking back, I’m almost a bit surprised at the certainty I felt that God would move. But I held onto that belief, and I held onto Him. And while I wrestled through a lot during that time, I continued to bring it all before the Lord, trusting Him to remind me that He was still there, working all things for good, and making plans that I couldn’t see.

Yesterday morning, I read this verse, and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

I think I found a bigger belief in that season of waiting, because I was earnestly seeking. I NEEDED to believe. And so, every day, I poured out my heart, told him exactly how I felt, and asked for His provision.

And here’s the thing, while He didn’t answer right away — at least not the answers I was asking for —  every day, He did provide.

He provided me precious time with my grandmother and gave me the chance to serve and love her during a season she needed me. He provided me with new friendships and church community and freelance work. He provided me time for rest and time with Him and the chance to get to know him on a deeper level.

I know I can learn something from that waiting and from those provisions.

Sometimes, I get lazy in the seeking. I read a quick verse here, say a quick prayer there, and call that my quiet time. But I need only look back on seasons where He was building my belief to remember the blessings to be found when I’m earnestly seeking. I need only remember how much I needed that belief to be reminded that I still do — and that He’s still building it even now.

Ask. Seek. Knock. Ask for what you want and God will mold your heart till what you want is the same as what He wants. That is a beautiful profound thing and the power of prayer. We commune with Him and learn from Him when we just simply spend time talking to Him…
His plans never fail. Ever. And sometimes things take a long time because God wants to change you in the journey. Life happens in the waiting. ~ Lara Casey

 

::For the month of October, I’m participating in The Nester’s #31Days blog writing challenge. My topic? Big BELIEF. For the next 31 days, I’ll be writing about three main things: 1. BELIEVING in His good plan for my life, 2. BELIEVING in the dreams He’s placed on my heart, and 3.BELIEVING in who He is and what He promises. So, what do you say? Will you join me? Will you open your heart to Him and allow Him to grow your belief over these next 31 days? You can read all my #31Days posts,here.::