Where God's Word Meets Our Mess
And then I began to realize the truth: I wasn't trusting God's plan. I wanted to receive a book contract now. I wanted to be a successful author now. I wanted my dreams to come true now. But that clearly wasn’t God's will for me. Even though I struggled to accept His will, He graciously used my disappointment to teach me three important things about my dreams—and I'll share them with you here.
With only a few weeks left until the end of the semester, I’m unable to contain my excitement. I’ve been awaiting the end for so long! I can’t stop thinking about summer plans and a homework-free life. (What even is that?) But first, I have to survive the rest of the semester—and thrive, if possible—because there are several papers, projects, presentations, and exams in my near future.
Sure, I’ll admit that I’m aware of my singleness most of the time. I’m not married, dating, or even considering starting a romantic relationship. To be honest, even if a great guy was interested in me, I wouldn’t be ready to start dating. I’m simply not at that place yet.
Ah, the single years. This season of waiting can be hard, especially if your siblings or friends are dating. But these years aren't a waste of time—they're a gift! If you're wondering how to use your time well in this season (and how to practically treat it like the gift that it is), here are 10 suggestions to consider.
He began a good work in you, and He isn’t a quitter. He’s not going to stop working in you now, friend. Your situation is happening for a reason, and that may be the only thing you can know until we go to heaven. So try to hang in there, persevere through the darkest days, and always have hope in our Almighty God.
Don’t feel like a failure if someone you care about doesn’t listen to your advice or outwardly show appreciation for your concern. Though it may feel like you’re being rejected, you never know what God is doing in his/her heart. Maybe He is using your encouragement so he/she will change. Only that person can make a choice to change. Only God’s work in their heart will make them live differently.
You aren’t getting weaker as you wait. Your faith is getting stronger because you’re depending more on Jesus and less on yourself. When you wait on God, you’re waiting on the most dependable One you possibly could. He’s a lot more dependable than we are. Just think of all the promises you’ve broken and all the promises He has kept.
We all have a “thorn in the flesh,” even the ones who seem the strongest. (They just hide it well.) We suffer so that God’s great power can be magnified to the world. He can still use us, even in suffering, pain, and weariness. He can still use us even when we are tormented by “a messenger of Satan” (whether it be a lie, a doubt, or a fear). He can use you.
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 