Two years ago, I ended the year heartbroken. There was so much we had prayed for, hoped for, believed for that just had not happened.
Not that God wasn’t good, or wasn’t faithful. But, He had planted specific things in our hearts that we had labored for and we had not seen the breakthrough that we had faith for.
The end of the year is always a time to assess, realign… I needed to balance the books. Somehow make sense of it all. Make a decision on how to move forward.
What do you do with disappointment? I think this is an important question. Left unattended, I think disappointment grows into other things….. anger.. bitterness………unbelief…. You just stop believing.
I didn’t want that. I needed to hear from the Lord. I needed His word. Something firm.
Our precious friends from our time in DC, Justin and Kristin Ruzinok, amazingly offered to bring us out to visit them in Florida. I was hoping it was a divine appointment. It was.
The night we got there was New Year’s Eve. After we got two cranky kids to sleep, we all found ourselves gathering around a campfire in the backyard to bring in the new year. We sang songs, worshipped, shared stories. We talked about our year. At one point in the night Kathy Kurpe (Kristin’s mom) shared part of her journey and said the words “Add waiting to your faith.” I knew it was the word of the Lord for my year.
While we were there, they had a well worn copy of “God’s Promises for Your Every Need” sitting around their house. It is a book of all of the promise scriptures in the Bible. I opened it up and leaned into my “waiting” word.
His speaking voice in scripture soothed my wounds. Eased the pain. It sustained my hope. It gave my feet footing. Something firm to face uncertainty.
These words became treasures to me. I read them, wrote them, reviewed them, prayed them. Meditated on these until they sank deep into my soul.
If you have been full of faith and find yourself ultimately disappointed ending the year, I pray these truths minister to you the way they did to me.
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Psalm 62:5
My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him alone.
Hosea 6:3
Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord, His going forth is established in the morning, He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the Earth.
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
Psalm 138:8
The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the work of your hands.
James 5:7-8
Therefore, be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the Earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Hebrews 6:12
…do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
1 Thes. 5:24
He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
Psalm 130:5
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word do I hope.
Hebrews 10:35-37
Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. “For yet a little while and He who is coming will come and will not tarry.”
Habakkuk 2:3
For the vision is for yet an appointed time. But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it, because it will surely come. It will not tarry.
Hebrews 3:4
For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.
1 Peter 1:7-9
(Faith) tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
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I will add that the year to follow did include breakthrough. It was a banner year in every area. We got to see fulfillment, at least partially. But, I will save that for another post. Because even without the ending to the story, these Words hold power. As is, they are strong enough to stand up to an uncertain immediate future.
Here is the book God’s Promises for Your Every Need >> on Amazon.
