Several months ago I decided I was going to spend an entire day with the Lord. I had blocked my calendar for the day and replaced everything with Jesus. Like so many of us, I had a list of things I needed answers for. A fully devoted day with Jesus seemed like the only solution. I was looking forward to it.
I hiked down the side of our bluff to platform three and began unpacking my list to the Lord. For the next several hours I told Him everything He already knew about my situation. I asked Him how He was going to take care of it. Throughout the entire conversation, I could hear Him reassure me. I could feel His presence.
Yet, I wouldn’t stop asking Him how it was going to happen — how He was going to take care of it all.
How? What a rude question to ask the Creator of the universe. Even though He’s not mad about the question, it does, however, show that I’m second-guessing His ability to accomplish something and reveals my lack of complete surrender.
Why does it matter how God does things?
I don’t know how He parted the Red Sea, yet that didn’t stop the Israelites from walking across it on dry land. I have no idea how Jesus and Peter walked on water. It doesn’t make it any less true because I don’t know how it happened. I’m so annoyed with myself sometimes for questioning how God is going to fulfill His promises in my life.
We have four platforms on the side of our bluff that lead to our dock. I spent hours talking to the Lord and pacing between platform 2 and platform 3 that day. I would pray, worship, quote Scripture, pray some more, and occasionally listen. I was serious about getting some answers, but I was asking the wrong questions. I wanted to know how and when. Where is the faith in that? Not knowing how and when something is going to happen and still believing it’s going to happen is the essence of faith.
Instead of the Lord telling me how or when, I heard Him say, Open your Bible. I don’t always believe in the flip the Bible open to wherever it lands method, but that’s what I did that day. God is funny. The Scripture I opened up to said, “Patient endurance is what you need now” (Hebrews 10:36 NLT). I laughed out loud and wrote in my Bible, “Yes, I do!” The Lord then led me to Hebrews chapter 11.
Hebrews 11 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. I began to read about all of these great acts of faith. They are inspiring. Any time we need a faith boost, Hebrews 11 is a great place to start. This time as I read the stories I was enlightened in new ways. The Lord pointed out to me that Noah had never even seen rain before. He was told to build a massive boat because it was going to rain. What? Water was going to fall from the sky? It had only come up from springs in the earth. I’m sure Noah had to wonder how was water falling from the sky even possible. Yet, he obeyed the steps God gave him, built a boat, and it rained.
Abraham was told to go to a land he had never been to before. He started walking not knowing where he was going. How was he going to get somewhere if he didn’t know how to get there? He took one step at a time. Sarah had already gone through menopause. There were no eggs left in our girl. She was past the age of childbearing, yet, she definitely had a baby. How?
When we face circumstances that don’t make any earthly sense, God doesn’t want us to ask how. He wants us to say, “I don’t know how and I don’t have to know how, because my God is faithful and capable.”
I needed to remember that the Lord is for me. If He is for me, then what can possibly be against me (Romans 8:31)? Just because I don’t know how, doesn’t limit the Lord. The only thing that limits the Lord from working in my life is my lack of trusting Him (James 1:6-7). If Noah, Abraham, and Sarah had waited to trust God until after they learned how and when, there would have never been a boat, a promised land, or a child.
You better believe I repented that day. I told the Lord I was so sorry for not trusting Him. I asked Him for patient endurance. Since that day I’ve seen some pretty amazing things the Lord has done in my life. Many of the things on my prayer list from that day on the platform have been checked off in ways that far surpassed how I thought they would happen. I would never have expected Him to move in my life the way He chose to move. It was far better and greater than my limited thinking.
The Lord was right. Whenever I stopped asking how and when and began to trust Him fully, the answers began to come.
I’m still waiting for some answers. I won’t be asking the Lord how they’re going to happen. I’m over here patiently enduring (some days more than others). When I find myself getting restless and questioning God’s methods and timing, I calm myself, think about that day with God, and say, “Lord, I trust You.”
For me, it’s “when?” I have never been good with being patient and find my self getting annoyed waiting. I have begun reminding God how old I am and the longer I wait the less I will be able to do what it is I am asking for (For a variety of reasons, I need to move). Doesn’t that sound awful? I try so hard to trust God, to pray but I cannot seem to totally surrender. It is disheartening. I guess I’ll just keep praying, not matter what.
“When” is definitely a common question. I remember complaining to the Lord about being a certain age before He showed me some things in His Word. I asked Him why He waited until I was that old before He showed me. On the inside of my heart I heard Him say, “you’re not an age to me, you’re eternal.” That changed everything.
Trusting in the Lord with ALL my heart and not depending on my own understanding is one of the toughest places to be in my daily life due to circumstances that seem impossible to endure much longer. I too want to know how it’s all going to work out according to His will. Thank you for this reminder to be patient in the conflicts and to TRULY trust our heavenly Father who is able!!!
I believe trusting the Lord fully is the highest complement we could give Him. It’s like saying, “I’m not worried at all, my dad’s got this.” I know your dad is right there in the midst of your conflict too.
I love this message. And I love the idea of spending such a dedicated day with the Lord. I want to carve out time to do this. Thank you.
I hope you do! Every time I do it I ask myself why I waited so long. It’s always more fulfilling than I even imagine.
Love love love this article!! Thank you for the perspective
I’m glad it hit home for you like it did me.
WOW, I needed that!
So glad it helped!
Dear Tyra…….Your story was very inspiring to me. I have always trusted God. My problem is with having the patience to wait and I ask Him too many times when and how? I know this is not right but my situation has been going on for so long that sometimes I wonder if it will every be solved. I know this is wrong too, so I go back to God and ask for forgiveness. I am 76 years old and just worry about this thing that needs to be over. Your story really told me that last sentence you have in your message is what I need to do. “Lord, I TRUST YOU” and I will work on the patient part much more. Thank you, Tyra ! What a great way to start my day. Betsy Basile
I have to say those words out my mouth every time a test/trial/conflict comes up. Sometimes it’s once a week and sometimes it’s every 3 minutes. Keep trusting, friend. The Lord is always faithful.
Simply beautiful!
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for reading.
Tyra, this is wonderful! I would love to plan “A day with God”! And listening? That would be good.
Hahaha! That listening part is what gets us. I hope you do plan a day with the Lord soon. It’s an amazing time.
Thank you for the encouragement. After 25 years of a barren marriage, I am exhausted from asking God “When?” and “How?” I am going to trust in His timing and His ways. I am weary and burdened, but I am not giving up. Going to place my hope in Him and trust Him for the outcome.
What a long and hard road. I’m so thankful you have a faithful Father you’re walking it with. He heals the brokenhearted. He is with you and He is for you.
Thank you for this— I have always been one that wants to know the how and when. It drives my husband crazy and I’m coming to realize that it shows a lack of trust and faith. May I learn to totally surrender the details to Jesus! It is a choice that I must make each and every day and I’m praying for the will to do just that.
Wow! What incredible words: Total surrender and choice. Sounds like there might be a great article wanting to come out of you.
Love this ‼️
My verse this year is : “Even now , take your stand and see the great thing which the Lord WILL Do – before your eyes “
My Word – Expect
Every day while I wait for my main item to be answered – I see now Something Every day He amazes me with .
Sometimes we are too focused on a problem and miss seeing the daily blessings
This is awesome! What a word!! Expect the Lord to be faithful. Expect the Lord to do what He said He’d do. Expect to walk out the call of God on your life.
There’s a lot of ways that word can go. How powerful!
Thank you CoCo for sharing your experiences with me today.
It has taken me a long time to let go of taking care of myself. I mean as a daughter, wife and mother. I am the go between for my immediate family. I’m the secretary for my husband and my mother (I love working with my mother but my husband is very demanding).
My children bring be joy and I like Praying for their well being. But when I fret over some outcomes, that means I want to control life’s ups and downs for them. That is not my job any longer. I taught them the Love of Christ and now I am to Pray with them and for them. Then I am to surrender my opinions to God and ask for His Guidance.
Waiting with Endurance is a Journey.
Don’t give up. Don’t fret as though you don’t have Hope. Hope in Jesus and Hope in God.
Thank You Lord for Your Word, Grace and Mercy while we see Your Answers Come To Fruition.
Amen.
Brenda
Your Sister in Christ
Thank you for sharing your story! We all really are on a journey. I’m so thankful the Lord also has much patient endurance for us. He is so good!
Tyra,
There are times I have like Mary (mom of Jesus). “How is this going to happen? Not my will but yours.” She trusted God but didn’t quite fully understand the how of her situation.
Like you I’m not a fan of waiting. Patience is not a virtue I have a lot of. As I’ve grown older & walked more with God my trust muscles have grown also. I’ve witnessed miracles in my own life that I know I can have faith depend on God to do what He says. It just might not be in my timing.
Blessings 🙂
I’m so thankful those faith muscle can be increased. God is always good and always faithful.