Waiting Room: "Find Rest" Series

The Waiting Room

“Find Rest”

Last week we began a series titled the Waiting Room with the purpose of discovering what God reveals to us in these moments of waiting.

I want to thank all of you who told me my waiting room story was nothing…

Romans 8:28 (NIV)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Last week we acknowledged the Ultimate and Absolute power of our Lord Jesus Christ. We took time to recognize that when it comes to life, whether we recognize it or not, God is the Authority.

This week we want to take this frame of thinking one step further in terms of “Resting in that Authority”.

Awhile back I was watching a special on the Discovery Channel that was basically highlighting a Top 10 list of ways the earth was going to end:

major earthquake, giant meteor, ridiculously sized volcano, an ice age, global plagues, nuclear war, or a legion of housecats that rise up in rebellion against the human race.

Ok, I made that last one up, but I could probably make a compelling case for its possibility.

Regardless of how the earth would meet its demise, every segment ended with some expert in that disaster field saying,

“We’re just about due for this (fill in the blank) to hit.”

As I watched each segment, I felt like these scientists were beginning to pull for their disaster to be the endgame. It was almost like a race!

“Good news everybody! Don’t worry about volcano, because we’re due for a meteor to nail us first!”

Interesting enough, life seems to be like that. Things can be going well and according to our plans, but we feel like we have to constantly be on the lookout for something bad happening.

Can I just rip the Band-Aid off now and say this? Stop trying to avoid the disasters of life, because they’re going to happen. You’re due.

Maybe you've already been there, but you are going there again. So what are we going to do?

1. Be Prepared!

We stated a fact last week that is worth repeating again: Time in the Waiting Room is necessary for our spiritual growth! The bible never tells to avoid times of crisis, tragedy or unexpected change. It says just the opposite:

Romans 5:3-4 (NLT)

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.

Bad things are going to happen. And this “JOY” that we’re supposed to find in these moments are really attainable. But it’s going to boil down to your preparation.

Ill: Mom's Thanksgiving Emergency Plan – “Come to the Cabin…”

Most of us wait until the “Bomb” goes off in our lives before we turn to God. Then we wonder why God seems so silent or unavailable when everything goes down. But let’s be honest:

It’s harder to press into our relationship with God when things are good.

Why? Because we’ve got nothing to worry about! I have it under control! If there was ever a definition of a false sense of security, here it is!

Being prepared means investing and seeking God in all seasons, especially when things are good!

This is such a contradiction to common thinking, because we would rather have the benefits of a relationship with God without the work of truly investing in one with God.

Proverbs 1:7 (NLT)

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Hebrew: da`ath (dah-ath): discernment, understanding, wisdom

When we are investing daily in our walk with God through worship, devotion and study of God’s Word, and continuous prayer (real dialogue) not only are we acknowledging our reverence (Fear) for His Authority, we are gaining wisdom and understanding.

This understanding is not the answers to the “why” question. It is the beginning of the answers to the “What” questions. It may just be the assurance in those times of disaster that God is still in Authority.

If we are prepared in our walk with Christ our reaction to crisis should be not of fleeing or running to fix it ourselves, but to be…

2. Still, Quiet and Humbled

I believe that it’s in these times the freedom to Rest in God’s Authority is at it’s sweetest.

2 Corinthians 12:10 (NLT)

That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

We’ve been promised an unending source of power for anything life can throw at us, but we’ve got to surrender our own first.