Holding Patterns
Many
times, God will allow a painful situation or a painful circumstance in
our life to "swallow us up". In our spiritual growth, this is a
holding pattern. We can't move to the left or the right. All we can do
is sit, like Jonah sat in the belly of that great fish, so God can have
our undivided attention and speak to us.
God put Jonah
in a holding pattern because He needed to speak to his heart. Jonah was
all alone. There were no friends to call, no colleagues to drop by, no
books to read, no food to eat, no interference, and no interruption. He
had plenty of time to sit, think, meditate, and pray.
When
we're deep down in the midst of a difficult situation, God can talk to
us. When He has our undivided attention, He can show us things about
ourselves that we might not otherwise have seen.
A few of God's holding patterns:
1. When you are sick in your physical body and you have prayed but you're not yet healed, .. you are in a holding pattern.
2.
When you are having problems with your children and you have put them
on the altar, but God has not delivered them yet, .. you are in a
holding pattern.
3. When you have been praying for a loved one to return to God, and they have not come back yet, .. you are in a holding pattern.
4.
When you are in a broken relationship and you have given it over to
God, but it has not been restored yet, .. you are in a holding pattern.
5. When the doors slam shut before you can even knock on them, .. you are in a holding pattern.
When
we are deep in the belly of a difficult situation, there are no
interruptions. God has our undivided attention. All we can do is Sit, Think, Meditate, and Pray. Like Jonah, we cannot run from God, because
there are no mountains that are high enough, valleys that are low
enough, rivers that are wide enough, rooms that are dark enough, or
places that are hidden from Him.
We must remember to praise Him while we're waiting, and remember three things:
1. The pattern has a purpose.
2. The pattern has a plan.
3. The pattern has a process.
So
stop struggling and start listening, praying and trusting. He'll keep
you right where you are until you can clearly hear Him say, "I love
you."
Father, forgive my unbelief. I know you love me
and I will come to see the benefit of everything in my life, even this
holding pattern, and the manifestation of my Good is assured through
You.
You have planned nothing for me but victories; and I am ready to receive them regardless of how difficult the path.
No comments:
Post a Comment