Prodigal:  Howdy!

 

Me:  Who are the friends that you are with?

 

Prodigal:  They are friends from years ago and they found some trouble.  We are waiting for them to be freed.  I am trying to encourage them while they wait.

 

Me:  Do you mind if I share encouragement.

 

Prodigal:  Go ahead!

 

Jennifer Rothschild in her book Lessons I Learned in the Dark Steps to Walking by Faith, not by Sight share insight into waiting.

 

I’ve learned that although waiting is never fun, it’s always healthy.  It’s like spiritual weightlifting:  It strengthens us by teaching us that our joy and peace and hope don’t depend on when our needs and wants are met.  Instead, they come from what we choose to do in the meantime, when life is hard and so is waiting.

 

I know you are wondering how long the wait.  I can’t give you the exact time of the wait.  I don’t think God wants you to know the exact time.  If we knew how long, I think the days in during the wait could not become precious.  We would hurry them thru.  We would brush them aside and just mark them off the calendar as a day closer to the finish line.  With out knowing time frames, we are forced to try and enjoy today.  We are forced to see a value in these days instead of seeing them as a block between us and the finish line.

 

Matthew 6:13

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen

 

Jennifer Van Allen

 

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org