See The Whole Picture

We want it all now. We want to understand now. We want to be rescued now. We want … We want … We want …

Sometimes, we do not get what we want when we want it in the way we want it. This is a problem when we have the attitude that our perspective should be God’s perspective, and He should do what we think He should do. It is not, and He does not.

I waited and waited and waited for GOD. At last he looked; finally he listened. He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn’t slip. He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God. More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to GOD. (Psa 40:1-3 MSG)

Today’s Scripture passage is a picture of David doing this. He says he waited and waited for God. God was unconcerned about David’s expectations, feelings, or discomfort because He saw the bigger picture. His interest was what was best for David. It is the same for us.

We must learn to “cool our jets,” settle down, and trust God’s timing. In difficult situations and painful times, it can seem that God is callously ignoring us. It is vital that we be mindful that God will do what is best for us at the best time for us in the best way for us. Let me give you a personal example:

We are reaching the conclusion (I hope!) of one of the more difficult times we have ever experienced. If you know anything about my history, you know the significance of this statement. I have been through some VERY BAD things. The difference here is that this was a continuous, unrelenting barrage of one thing after another that seemed to have no end.

We felt pressed, squeezed, stretched, crushed, and some other verbs I shouldn’t mention. It persisted from early into the year until recently, for the worst of it anyway. (Some things are still ongoing.) This pressed us into God more intensely and intimately than ever before (and that is saying a lot, too).

The result is that I was compelled (left no choice) to base my faith solely and exclusively on who God is–His character, integrity, and faithfulness–rather than an outcome. Though these words are easy to say, living them is something entirely different. I do not know that anyone could truly understand without being there.

We were able to do this, barely. Barely, as in, we barely survived. We had to focus our entire faith, strength, courage, and attention on God and not our circumstances, trusting that He would do what He needed to do when and how He needed to do it for our best outcome.

He did, He has, and He is. We are just now beginning to see some of what He was doing during that time. Things are coming about that could only have been birthed in the fiery crucible of those circumstances. In fact, we spent the entire weekend (my birthday weekend, BTW) talking about it, assimilating the revelation we are receiving. FYI: It is still coming.

We feel like David. We waited, and waited, and waited, and then waited some more. Now we understand at least some of the why. The picture is beginning to come together. It is also clear that if we had panicked before it was finished, we would have missed it all.

The whole picture takes time. It always takes time. You will not see it IN difficult times but only in hindsight. This is why you must have faith.

So, before you jump to a conclusion and assume that God has abandoned you, is ignoring you, or does not care what you are experiencing, wait until you see the whole picture. You will–in time.

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