ON THE HARDEST DAYS

Wait on the Lord, Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Psalms 27:14

There have been some days recently that I needed to get a good word, I needed to be replenished. There is a song that has been a booster for me during this season. If you've had days where you're "strong" you know. The lyrics are:

I'm gonna wait on You x2

I've tasted your goodness

I'll trust in Your promise

I'm gonna wait on You

Wait on the Lord,

He will renew your strength

You mount up on wings as eagles

You shall walk, and not get weary

You shall run, but not faint

Just wait on the Lord, wait

by Maverick Music & Elevation Worship

Right now in this moment that has to be my favorite song, it speaks of what I need and not what I feel. When I sit and wallow in what I do not have I sink deeper, lower and find it harder to connect with God.

Over the last few weeks we've studied Wisdom intently through the story of Joseph, Solomon, Jesus' ministry and how they got things done. But what happens when you have been waiting but failed, you got up and tried but failed again...

The song says in the middle of the storm start praising, when you wait you get a little stronger.

Could it be a test, could it be a spiritual attack? The answer will depend on you and asking the Holy Spirit what is happening and also discerning what to do.

The song says to wait on the Lord (Psalms 91 & 27) but many times we do not know how to wait. Waiting through the story of Ruth; is waiting with uncertainty of the outcome but still working, being humble and loving. Ruth sacrificed her own life to be with her mother-in-law after her husband died. She was not just sitting around doing nothing, as a matter of fact she went with her mother-in-law with no promise of being able to have another husband. Naomi was a senior and even if she had a son how long would Ruth have to wait? Ruth went with Naomi anyway. We really don't know which direction the blessing will come. Then if we look at the story of Esther she was not just waiting but preparing without knowledge that she would become Queen. This happens when you wait on the Lord, everyday He will renew your strength, you get a little stronger.

On the hardest days I don't want to get out of bed, I want to be left alone in a little shell but guess what; that's not what you need. The enemy tries to use these instances to isolate us so he can devour us (his mission: kill, steal and destroy). Crazy thing is when I look back at where the enemy had me on the hardest day with Christ still is better than a good day without Christ. Give God thanks!

A few years ago I was that girl that always woke up on the wrong side of the bed every day, I would even hiss my teeth when I woke up in the morning. Why was I so disgruntle? I did not understand at that time how much God truly loved me and did everything to show me His love, but because there were so many strongholds I was unable to understand it. Trauma, pain and disappointment tampered my view. I had a way that I wanted things to go and if it did not go as planned I became very upset with God. I could not imagine the old me living through a pandemic, what would I have been like? How would I have treated the people around me? Every day is not easy but it is better in Christ than without. Seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened-I understand how important it is to seek God with passion and not being passive. There are days when I do not want to pray, or sing, or worship but I sit and cry if I have to. Telling God all that I feel to get to the point to passionately worship.

God's best work came as a result of someone's lowest point, it was when they gave up. Let's look at the hardest days through the story of Lazarus. Jesus visited Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus often. Mary anointed Jesus' feet with her hair and Martha was the sister that kept busy when Jesus came to visit and got mad at Mary for not helping her. Their brother "died" word got to Jesus that his friend died, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." - John 11:4

What a thing to say when your friend dies, instead of quickly going to be there with Mary and Martha Jesus waited two days. Talk about things getting worse before it gets better, then Jesus shows up. The sisters were upset, hurt and offended that Jesus did not show up sooner. Why did I have to lose my job, my child, my home or my car?

Then Jesus said plainly, " Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him. "- John 11:14 it ain't over, imagine what the sisters felt like. Knowing a healing minister but he was in a different province, state or country and you call him saying a family member is sick, I don't think I even need to tell him he needs to be on the next flight. "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I may wake him up." John 11:11 All the other saints that were there no one else could wake him up, when Martha heard Jesus was coming she went to him but Mary did even bother to move. Martha sounds alot like me, you are going to know how I feel. She said, "Lord, If You had been here, my brother would not have died; she still had faith even in her pain. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God. God will give You." She still believed a miracle could happen. Even when the situation is hard and there seems like no way out, still hold on for that miracle. "Your brother will rise again." John 11:23 Your situation will get better, things will not stay like this...do you not know who I am. Do you know who stepped in the room, in that situation? Offence was removed after connecting with Jesus but she knew her sister Mary was still sitting there in offence, so she called her. Girl, Jesus called you, he said to come quickly. Mary got up and ran to where Jesus was and fell at His feet "Lord, If You had been here, my brother would not have died." Mary and the Jews all cried. Jesus' spirit stirred up and he asked where Lazarus was laid. Even in this situation there were people that had those little side comments like, I don't know what she was talking bout waiting on God and ain't nothing happen yet, this person has been a Christian all their life and God let that happen to them...

You've heard the side comments before they come from haters and believers when things look tough, when it takes alot to keep holding onto faith, when things get worse before they get better. Lazarus was already in a tomb with a stone across it's entrance. The stone-our hardened hearts, the walls must come down, we must address the pain we are faced with.

"Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" the stone was removed, offence was lifted, anger left, disappointment went away, " Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead situation changed, a miracle happened, the suffering ended. "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." Don't continue living like the situation is in despair, like a miracle do not just happen. - John 11:40-44

That's some crazy faith...

Martha was already offended, Mary did not even care to see Jesus because of her hurt; but Martha just got a word " he will rise again." What do you mean and my husband/wife left me, how can anything happen when I don't have any money in my bank account, Lord, how will this happen when I am not sure if I still have faith but I know anything I ask through you God will answer. Although there was offence they knew where they needed to go, they knew who needed to show up. He may not come when you want Him but He will be there right on time. Jesus showed up...

On the hardest days remember when Daniel was thrown in the den for praying to God, when Joseph ran from sexual immorality and was still imprisoned, when Abraham waited forever to have his son and God gave it to him then asked Abraham to offer the same son he waited for as a sacrifice. Imagine what they felt like, having to go through that storm, then look at their outcome. The miracles, the testimony, the joy and blessings they received for waiting. On the hardest days look at the story of Job, very similar to us. Understanding all of what he had lost, the emotional cycle he went through and in the end he got double for all he had lost.

On the hardest days remember that's when God does His best work.