When the Waiting Meets the Promise

 "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."- Philip.4:4-7 (emphasis mine)

The Lord has been working on my heart quietly in this area for almost a year now. There are many of you who have entered my life in the last year and have no idea of my journey of waiting on God for His best. I'll be honest, I've probably dated/gone on more dates in the last year than I ever had prior & it was exhausting. At least it can't be said now that I didn't try haha. 

When I tell people that I have waited and saved I'm not kidding. But here is the thing, this past year has been full of ups and downs; and a topic I use to bask in talking about (purity)the enemy has tried to silence me on. As crazy as it sounds the voice of embarrassment/shame/regret screamed much louder. Lust became a bigger battle for me than I ever thought I'd face. But as I am learning the very area that God most wants to use is also the very area that the enemy will aim every fire dart he's got right at--that thing/area--is a target to the enemy. Therefore it all the more needs to be guarded!

For years I prayed and hoped and dreamed and waited on God's best! Somewhere around I'd say 26-years old my heart was shattered but it was a brokenness that become the catalyst for probably one of the biggest transformation the Lord has done in my life since being saved and realized I was created to bring Him glory with my life. The 3-years have been at times one up-hill battle but this past year has in many ways felt like I've been able to catch my breathe but at the same time God has been drawing me back to dreaming again. Praying again for His best. I don't know who that man will be, but I trust God. His grace is sufficient!  


But the Lord is slowly calling me out to be brave and bold. To not be ashamed of the desire to wait and don't be ashamed of the times where I've stumbled in the waiting. In our world today, even in the Christian culture, purity is mocked. When preachers preach on it now, it's always from the stance that no one in the room could possibly be pursuing or desiring purity in their life. It's the one area that people who claim to follow Jesus have the hardest time surrendering to I've found. But God keeps reminded me that His best won't run away from the fight for purity but will run towards it.

The Lord had me in Phil 4:4-7 tonight reminding me to trust Him. The only time we have a hard time laying stuff down is because we don't fully trust the one we're handing it over to. But patience is fueled by trust. When we trust the hands who we're placing our hearts in we can wait.

Be anxious for nothing. The peace of God will guard our hearts and minds. We need not be anxious, but trust the one whose goes before us.

What use to be like breathing( talking about relationship and dating and purity etc) years ago it seems, has begun to resurface over the last 6-months. I see glimpses of hope poke it's head out from time to time--but what use to seem so easy has now simply become a daily trust for me. Taking it day-by-day. Trusting God with that day, and resting in the truth that He holds my future. I need along listen and obey. Each day as I trust the Lord and wait on Him, I soar!

I would always hesitate to post anything because I didn't want to be just another Christian girl writing a blog post about dating/relationships.There is SO MUCH out there I didn't want to be just one of the many voices. There are so many other things I'd rather write on sometimes, but there are just these moments where the Lord seems to move my heart in that direction, and so I write. 

I love the tail end of verse 5 "the Lord is near" and then following that verse 6. in Phil. Chapter 4 it tells us to "be anxious for nothing...". For the very fact that the Lord is near, we need not be anxious!

What I love about purity is that it's more than just "sex." Purity is apart of our very identity in Christ! In Christ we are made new, white as snow. Regardless of our pasts, in Christ, we all stand before God redeemed. Jesus died for all of us--we all fell short. So never allow your past to trip you up and make you think you don't deserve God's best. That the beauty of God's grace and mercy--he gives as we don't deserve. That's what makes those things blessings and gifts.

So regardless of where you've been, don't settle for less that God's best. That's just a "fancy way" of saying wait for the person can come along side and help you be all God's called you to be--vice versa. Helping each other flourish under God and for the glory of God. There are a few more things that factor in that are kinda obvious, but what most people miss is the part about: does/will this person help make you more or less like Jesus?

Trust in the Lord, do not be anxious, and you'll see the day the waiting meets the promise.