Do you ever face a situation that makes you feel utterly powerless?

When girls with a hero complex (like me) see a need, we feel an irresistible urge to don our red cape and fly in to save the day. Few things are more frustrating to us than seeing a problem and feeling like there is nothing we can do to solve it.

All around us, we witness people who are ill and suffering; those who are about to lose their home, their job, or their marriage; parents whose kids have addictions or have walked away from the faith; friends whose hearts are broken.

And we ask ourselves, What can I do for them? How can I help?

But, at times, we simply can’t.

Discouraged, we give into despair and forget that we still have a secret weapon left – one more powerful than our good deeds or heroic intentions.

It’s called prayer.

So we mumble an almost apologetic, “I’ll be praying for you,” as if we had nothing better to offer. As if it were the least we could do to help.

“The least I can do is pray. The most I can do is pray,” says radio host Dr. Randy Carlson in his program Intentional Living.

So true.

I learned that truth a few years ago, during our Women’s Evening Bible Study. At the end of one of our sessions, this wannabe-hero-girl met a woman whose problems and suffering were so severe, she was at the edge of suicide. Overwhelmed by her painful story, I felt there was absolutely nothing I could do for this lady. So I began to pray for her – out of pity to be honest. We cried together, hugged each other, and then we went home.

I figured this would be the last time I would ever see her.

Months later, a beautiful woman approached me after Bible Study. She looked radiant. Something about her seemed familiar, but I didn’t think I knew her. She said, “You prayed for me last year. Back then, I felt like I couldn’t go on living, so I had made up my mind. I was going to put an end to the pain.

“But when you prayed for me that evening, a spark of hope ignited in my heart. I realized God had the power to change my life and my circumstances. I believed. And He did!” she told me, with the brightest smile.

Witnessing her miracle made me realize that I, too, was in need of one. My heart needed to believe again. And I had to be reminded that a hero girl must never forget that the least she can do might be the greatest thing she can ever do for a friend in need.

Ana
http://anastinescorner.blogspot.com/

How does one “wait on the Lord”?

Isaiah 40:31 says that, those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (NKJV)

Years ago, I heard this woman over the radio share how she got up every morning, sat on her sofa, closed her eyes, quieted her heart, and – as she sat very still – she waited for God to speak to her.

She sounded to me like such a godly inspiration!  However, I had to be honest with myself and accept the fact that her morning experiences would never work for someone like me.  Really, comatose as I am every morning, sitting on a warm and cozy couch and closing my eyes would only make me snore.  As far as I recall, I have never successfully quieted my heart or mind by sitting down attempting to be still.

Even if I managed to stay awake, my mind would drift from the Lord and his goodness to my unfinished grocery list or the next project that needs tackling or whether or not my son’s appointment was this afternoon or the next.

Definitely not a very productive, quiet bonding time with Jesus.

I have friends I greatly admire, who can sit through an hour-long meeting without moving a muscle.  They appear calm and relaxed and focused.  When I find myself wondering what would that be like, I cringe remembering I need to be paying attention to what’s being said instead of gaping at people.  It’s very sad.

So what did the Psalmist mean by being “still before the LORD and wait[ing] patiently for him” (Psalm 37:7, NIV)?  Does that mean that un-still, extremely impatient gals like me are basically doomed?

Fear not my fellow ADHD-ers!

As I shared with you before, I do get up every morning and I do eventually manage to slow down the ol’ mind and sit on my comfy recliner to spend quality time with God.  Sometimes I even close my eyes without drifting into beautiful places where George Clooney or a much younger Paul Newman tell me I am the one, and I flutter my long and dense eye lashes and tell them, “Oh, stop it!”  And you say, in you dreams, girl!  And I say, exactly.  So… where was I?

Oh, yes!  How do I wait?  To me, the simple act of honoring the Lord by prioritizing my devotional is an act of waiting.  I’d much rather jump out of bed and dive directly into my to-do list (those are figures of speech, it’d be more precise to say, “drag myself out of bed” and after a shower and a cup of coffee or two” engage in my daily chores” but I’m still dreaming.)

One of the many things I love about Christianity is that it is so practical.  I can do practical.  I can get up in the mornings to take the time to pray and read my Bible.  I can force myself to do this before doing anything else.  And, for me, that is as still and as patient as it’s going to get.  But God knows that in my heart I am seeking to honor Him.

And that, my friends, is how I wait. 

How do you wait on the Lord?  I’m dying to hear.

Curious,

Ana

Psalm 5:3, In the morning, oh Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. (NIV)

Most days, I wake up around the same time.  Most days, I have a to-do list a mile long.  Most days, I battle the urge to jump out of bed and tackle this list, ASAP… but I know better.

A sweet voice whispers in my ear, nudging me out of bed, down the stairs and onto my living room recliner, for a meeting with my Creator.  The inclination to rush through my prayer requests so that I can move on with my day intensifies… but I know better.

On good days, I take deep breaths, pace the living room floor, and beg, “Lord, please calm down this crazy mind of mine!  I need You.  I know better than to start my day without Your touch.  Please teach me to wait on You.”

On the not-so-good ones, I just pace the living room floor and begin the sprint down my prayer list.  Mercifully, it doesn’t take long for the Holy Spirit to capture my heart and mind and to take me to a place where, enthralled by His love, I forget all about life’s rushes.

This act of obedience and submission is what I call “a tithe of my time.” When you tithe, you give back a small percentage of the total amount God blesses you with.  When you tithe your income, you trust Him to bless the remainder percentage so that is enough to fulfill your financial obligations.

In the same manner, when I have enough sense to start my day dedicating a small portion of it to spend it solely with God – what I call my devotional – I am trusting Him to bless the remainder hours of the day so that I can get done whatever needs to.

The beauty of this spiritual mini-battle I face every morning is two-fold.  On one hand, the more I experience God’s presence the easier it gets to overcome my selfish, hardheaded ways and my tendencies to skip my devotional.  On the other, the more I see the difference this investment of my time makes on the rest of my day –and on my attitude – the more I am compelled to “re-invest” the following morning.

Praying is not hard for someone like me, who’s enjoyed a relationship with God since her youth.  I pray all the time!  The deal with someone like me, a doer plagued by impatience and impulsiveness, is that it is very hard not to treat her morning devotionals like another item in her to-do list.

It is hard for girls like me to wait upon the Lord.  But girls like me, who understand the difference those early encounters make in their lives, know better.

Is it hard for you to slow down and wait?  If so, tell us about it!  We at Vineyard Women love to hear your insights.