Friday, March 13, 2015

A Season of Waiting


Jeremiah 5:24
They do not say to themselves, "Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest."

March opens with a resounding "yes" for me.  My birthday is the first day of the month.  How can I not celebrate and give thanks to God that He chose the day and the hour upon which I would enter the world?

But once that day has passed, I feel like Julius Caesar in his crucial moment of despair - "Et tu, Brute?"  The Ides of March . . .

The snow continues to descend.

So does my sadness.

Spring, in all her glory, is slow to arrive.  Expectant buds upon the daffodils refuse to move toward most welcomed bloom.  Crocuses close themselves in tight isolation as winter's chill lingers.

I am in a season of waiting.

Waiting for the snow in my heart to melt.

Waiting for the warm rains of spring to cleanse me.

Waiting for sorrowful memories to crest and subside, leaving tears in their wake.

No matter how many months and years pass, the memories never lose their hold on this space and time of year.

A season of waiting for my soul to know this, too, shall pass.  Longing to believe it.  Embrace it.

Praying to know deep within that God is walking beside me, holding my hand, lifting me up.

Guiding me through the much and mire in my mind.

Assuring me that spring is in the offing, and all will be made new.

Promising me that even in the hardships, the sadness, and the unwanted memories, I can still find joy.

~

Are you in a season of waiting?  Can you still find joy?

Prayer:  Father, we thank You for walking with us in our seasons of waiting.  Help us to never lose sight of the joy You offer at all times and in all places when we open our hearts to accept it.  Give us hope in the darkest of times that we might glimpse Your glory and remember Your promises.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

9 comments:

  1. Martha, This is heart-felt post. It's so hard to wait. Sometimes it seems all that I do is wait...wait for God's answers to my deepest longings. The answers some times emerge slowly, like a butterfly working its way out of the cocoon or like a flower emerging from the ground after a long winter. My season of waiting has been and continues to be extensive (as in years!). Yet, I'm beginning to see signs of those new possibilities, the growth, new ministries, new opportunities the Lord has for me.

    Love and blessings!

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    1. You're right, Kim - waiting is not easy and we all must go through those times be they days, weeks, months, or in your case, years. I think it is in the looking back that we can really see that God was honing us all that time.
      Love and blessings!

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  2. Waiting is so hard. I often pray just give me a tiny peek into the future and I'll feel better. Of course He never does so I am left with faith, but it IS hard.
    Happy birthday, dear March baby. the Best babies are born in March - my birthday is the 18th, LOL

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    1. Happy Early Birthday, Jean! :) And maybe that's the whole reason we're supposed to have faith - we don't know the future, but we do know it's all in God's hands.
      Love and blessings!

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  3. I'm in a season of waiting but not quite this kind. It is a season of "what next Lord?" in anticipation of His move in my life. Thanks for your "openness" in this post Martha. I look forward to hearing about the spring which comes.

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    1. Bill, this wasn't an easy post to write and I knew I sounded like a "Debbie Downer" but sometimes these are the feelings which overflow and I have to put them into words. Thanks for understanding. The spring is coming soon!
      Love and blessings!

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  4. I too am in a season of waiting Martha but have realized that I enjoy this season. It is the in the season of waiting when we can spend the most time understanding, communing and experiencing God. It's here where he is walking with us most boldly, holding our hands tightly and guiding us to Him.

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    1. Beautifully said, Vishnu! You, of course, are right on the money here - as hard as it is for us to wait, it is necessary if we truly wish to grow closer to God. I think we all want that!
      Love and blessings!

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  5. Happy Belated Birthday Martha. Rev and I said the same thing over the weekend. We celebrated our anniversary last week, and the weather was beautiful for our celebration. Then it got cold and rainy and our moods declined. Today is gorgeous and tomorrow is supposed to be rainy again. Oh the changing seasons in the Midwest. Waiting is hard, but yes there is joy!

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