Time to wait
On Saturday morning I was waiting at a Toronto A&W for my breakfast. Things were moving a tad slow compared to your expected fast food wait time.
This was my third morning eating A&W breakfast on that trip so I learned to expect at least a 10 minute wait. They have eggs from a shell and this girl needs the real deal.
The previous day I was in a hurry and all I had for breakfast was fruit. It left me weak feeling and hungry all day so that morning, I was prepared to wait as I knew the consequences of not eating.
According to many customers, it was "TAKING A LONG TIME!!!" and some other colorful descriptions of slow I won't repeat. I've definitely had my share of days being the angry, impatient customer but that particular morning I knew what to expect so I simply sat, waited and spectated.
My favorite customer of the morning was undoubtedly the lady who saw other people's orders coming out (who had ordered after her) and demanded to know, "Why are they getting their food before me?!" and then, "Just give me whatever you have there!!!! I need to go!" She literally leaned across the counter trying to grab the bags out of the employee's hands containing other people's breakfast in an attempt to be on her way.
The employee, holding the bags protectively, kept saying, "This is not your order!"
This past weekend, God was speaking clearly to me about the discipline of spending daily time in the Word. In this season of life, I often feel like I'm in a hurry to get on with my day. After all, things need to get done and hangry small people need to be fed (hangry = hungry + angry).
Gone are the days when spending time in the Word depended solely on my ability to get out of bed early. Getting up early used to guarantee a still and dark house with no distractions. Not the case anymore. I don't want to think about the time I would have to be out of bed now for my quiet time to be actually be guaranteed to be quiet.
In this season of life, it's far more likely to sit down with every intention of being in the Word quickly followed by, "Mommy I'm awaaaaaaaake!!!!!," or "I need help!" or (insert crying coming from another room).
God isn't mad at me when I'm not in the Word nor does He love me less. He was clear about one thing though: I have MORE for you. Don't miss out. I have things I want to say to you. Plans to prosper your soul. I have truth that will set you free. Apart from me you can do nothing beyond yourself. Don't settle. Come and get to know me and my plan.
WIthout discipline, intention and plans, you won't just end up where you're hoping to go. Especially in this season of life.
Two times this weekend I heard, "You will never reach your full potential in Christ if you aren't in the Word regularly." Ouch, in the best possible way. When you hear something twice in 24 hours you know to pay attention.
I don't want to get to heaven only to realize there was much planned for my life that I missed out on. There was abundant life when I settled for the usual. There was peace and I was comfortable with fear. There was freedom and I settled for being a captive unaware. There was thriving and I settled for surviving.
In between being still long enough to let His Words be sown in my heart and mind, and seeing evidence of the fruit they produce, is this necessary thing called time. It means I must wait when the list of things (that have a measurable end) is pressing and the small people are calling. I must learn to be still instead of waiting for a still moment to appear my day.
I don't want to settle for someone else's breakfast. Or be in such a hurry I'll just take the first thing I can get my hands on. I want the real deal. His heart and His plan for me. I need some sustenance for the day and for my life and I need to wait and listen. I know He wants to speak. I know it's worth it and I know if I don't, I'll be weak and hungry for all the wrong things throughout my day, and my life.