Content To Linger
“We’re in no hurry, God. We’re content to linger in the path sign-posted with your decisions. Who You are and what You’ve done are all we’ll ever want.”
Isaiah 26:8
Do you dream of the day you will become a parent, own a home, make more money, be debt free, or have the job you’ve worked so hard to attain? All of us have dreams. We all have things God is calling us to do, but what should our attitude be as we are on the journey? It seems our society is always in a hurry. We rush to work, we rush our kids to and from their activities, we rush to fix dinner, and we rush through our evening routines, to finally get into the bed, only to start over when the sun rises again. Is this how our journey with Christ should be? Yes, there are things He has already planned for us in the future. Yes, it may be His plan for you to become a parent, to attain that amazing promotion in your job, or to own a home, but even if that is His perfect plan, should we be in a hurry to get to where He is calling us? Should we be in a hurry to accomplish our goals and reach our dreams? Is it simply all about the destination of the journey or the end result of the goals we set?
In Isaiah 26, this verse clearly gives us insight into what our attitude should be. We aren’t to be in a hurry, but rather “content to linger in the path sign-posted with His decisions”. In other words, we should not be in such a hurry to get to the blessing or the “final destination”, but, because of the intimacy that we have with Christ, we should be content to linger with Him in the journey, knowing it is the path sign-posted with His direction. We should be content to follow His pace in the journey simply because He is there. He isn’t just in the destination. He is in the journey itself.
The writer then punctuates this verse by saying to the Lord, “Who You are and what You’ve done are all we’ll ever want”. WOW! Is this our attitude? Do we really believe if He does nothing else for us, that He is enough? Can we really say that if we never reach the goal or obtain the dreams we have, that He is enough? When we can, we will find ourselves content to linger with Him, just knowing that we are on the path that He has marked out for us and that is filled with His presence.
Where are you today? Are you rushing to the next goal, spending all of your time dreaming of finally reaching your goals and aspiring to accomplish all God has put into your heart to do for His glory? I believe that while He wants us to be wise stewards in planning and preparing for the future and in following His perfect will for our lives, His plan is that we “not be in a hurry, but we find contentment in just lingering with Him on the path that He has marked out for us”. Let’s enjoy Him today and instead of rushing to the “next big thing”, let’s take the time to remember His promise and remain (or linger) in His presence.
Lord, enable me today to not be so focus on where you are taking me in my life or what you may be blessing me with in the future, that I forget the incredible blessing it is today to just linger with you. You have saved me, by your grace, and given me “all things that pertain to life and godliness”, and if this is all you choose to do, it is enough. Help me today to not just say that You’re enough, but live like it!
You can read more from Tammy by visiting her on her personal blog at Steps in Our Journey
Labels: Christian walk, Dreams, peace, Tammy's Articles
posted by Tammy @ 8:00 AM
16 Comments:
Wonderful post sweetie.
A great reminder for me today... linger with Him. I was just beginning to prepare a "to do" list when I read this post. Daily devotions (check!), pork in crockpot (check!), breakfast dishes done (check!) To Do list (not done) The list must wait. Let me close the laptop, grab my Bible, and linger. Savoring His grace and truth. Thanks for this post...
This hits home today as I started my day at the grocery store. It was not my usual store so I had to look longer to find what I wanted, and they did not stock all that I wanted, and I was frustrated. What a good reminder for me to slow down, appreciate what I have, and enjoy the beautiful sunshine today. I am not sure where my grocery store excursion will lead me, but maybe God is helping me realize my dream to be a more creative cook. Either that or I am supposed to only shop at my usual store. :)
Thank you, Tammy.
Ooh, a timely word indeed for me. Thank you, Tammy!
Love this post, Tammy! And that verse from the message really opened my eyes.
Wise words. For years I was in the "I can't wait until. . ." frame of mind. What a great challenge to find joy in the journey, even in the difficult steps.
I've kept a quote in my Bible for years regarding this same subject to remind me where my focus should be.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the uplift in my day and thoughts! Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
Tammy, It is hard to remember to be content with what God has given us and with his timing. We are in an age of immediate gratification and always want to rush things. Thank you for this devotion today. Cory
Beautiful. And well-timed. I have a newborn at home, and I've been sick with mastitis for the last few days. Now that I'm getting better, I feel such a need to hurry, hurry, hurry and get back on top of my To Do List before it threatens to drown me.
But the joy is in the journey and in the lingering, is it not? Especially during these early days of Teyla's life. Thanks for being the voice of God whispering in my ear this morning.
This hit today for me too. At sixty and my husband's practice changing and my desire to not come to the office anymore, it's so hard to not focus on the "future" and what it might hold. Been there done that as far as children, home etc. Now, the "future" doesn't seem as far off and it's a totally different one...Looking to Him to speak to my heart and show me what it is He has for my future. How I want to leave a godly legacy and finish well and not slack off, but keep pressing on to the calling of knowing Him better. Loving it when I linger in His presence and see Him in my circumstances. Loving it when I see that He has gone before me in a very hard place and made provision for me....God is good and He is good ALL of the time. dlowran1(at)comcast(dot)net
As my children are "rushing" to grow up right before my very eyes, this is a great reminder to slow down and enjoy the little things.
Smiles!
"Where are you today?" Now that is a thought worth thinking about. We do need to slow down and accept what God has done for us and where HE has put us. If we make HIM our goal in this life then everything else will fall into place. Thanks for wonderful post. God Bless!
I needed to hear this! Maybe the biggest distraction from initmacy with Christ is in all my doing of what He's called me too. It's so sweet when like the Lover of my soul He is, He lifts my head and draws me close and reminds me HE, not my husband, not my kids, not my role as a wife or mother...but HE is my portion and my cup. I may find Him in all these things, but without HIM none of them fulfill.
Thank you!!
..."lingering with Him on the path that He has marked out for us"...that is what He is trying to teach me...even today.
Thank you Tammy--for incredible words of encouragement and wisdom!
Tammy,
I can't tell you how true this rings for me today. Your words hit me just at the right time with what has been in my heart.
Thank you!
Sue
Wise post. I am trying to enjoy the journey to dreams that may or may not come true. I need my son to realize he should just enjoy his journey/childhood and not rush years to pass so that he may reach a point in his life.
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