1 00:00:02,650 --> 00:00:12,890 Speaker 1: Life Audio What would it be like to say with 2 00:00:13,070 --> 00:00:16,180 Speaker 1: the psalmist, In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice. 3 00:00:16,860 --> 00:00:19,460 Speaker 1: In the morning, I lay my requests before you and 4 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: wait expectantly. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to How to Study 5 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: the Bible. I'm your host, Nicole, and I'm really excited 6 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:28,620 Speaker 1: glad to be in this series with you as we 7 00:00:28,660 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: discover what it means to discern God's voice in our life. 8 00:00:32,340 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: If you have a decision in front of you, if 9 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 1: you feel like you've been wandering, if you remember a 10 00:00:37,220 --> 00:00:39,240 Speaker 1: season where it felt that way, this is a chance 11 00:00:39,300 --> 00:00:43,170 Speaker 1: to reflect back on how God leads us forward and 12 00:00:43,290 --> 00:00:46,530 Speaker 1: how we discover the direction that he has for us 13 00:00:46,729 --> 00:00:48,810 Speaker 1: and what it looks like to really live a life 14 00:00:49,310 --> 00:00:53,090 Speaker 1: that is directed toward the destination of serving God with 15 00:00:53,150 --> 00:00:56,500 Speaker 1: our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. This week, we 16 00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: are talking about the patience required to listen for God's voice. 17 00:01:01,620 --> 00:01:04,179 Speaker 1: And this is a hard thing for almost everyone. It 18 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:07,310 Speaker 1: seems to get harder as the world becomes a faster 19 00:01:07,340 --> 00:01:10,369 Speaker 1: and faster place to live in. We are so used 20 00:01:10,850 --> 00:01:14,390 Speaker 1: to having answers at our fingertips. We are used to 21 00:01:14,430 --> 00:01:16,690 Speaker 1: the feeling of, if there's knowledge I need, I can 22 00:01:16,730 --> 00:01:20,069 Speaker 1: just go get it. And I don't have to sift 23 00:01:20,190 --> 00:01:22,690 Speaker 1: through it. I don't have to discern it. My algorithm 24 00:01:22,709 --> 00:01:24,459 Speaker 1: will serve me up what I want to look at. 25 00:01:25,180 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 1: And we begin to really lose the muscle, the spiritual 26 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: muscle that it takes to actually actively wait on the Lord. 27 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:36,300 Speaker 1: So we're going to spend some time today talking about 28 00:01:36,380 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: patience because it is a critical component of the rest 29 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:44,030 Speaker 1: of our discerning process. If we are not prepared to 30 00:01:44,110 --> 00:01:47,930 Speaker 1: wait on the Lord, we will risk just taking action 31 00:01:48,130 --> 00:01:52,110 Speaker 1: into our own hands and moving forward without clarity. We 32 00:01:52,150 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: may risk failure. just passively losing out on something rich 33 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: that God has for us. And so patience is really, 34 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,820 Speaker 1: really important. In fact, one of my favorite authors, Henry Nouwen, 35 00:02:03,860 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 1: who wrote a book called Discernment that I'll share with 36 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:09,950 Speaker 1: you in the show notes, he says active waiting is 37 00:02:10,010 --> 00:02:13,690 Speaker 1: essential to the spiritual life. And the idea of waiting 38 00:02:13,770 --> 00:02:16,490 Speaker 1: is all through Scripture, as we just read in Psalm 5. 39 00:02:16,470 --> 00:02:19,060 Speaker 1: Here's a few more lines from the Psalms. Psalm 27, 40 00:02:19,060 --> 00:02:23,610 Speaker 1: 14 says,' Wait for the Lord.' Be strong and take 41 00:02:23,669 --> 00:02:27,049 Speaker 1: heart and wait for the Lord. That is just a 42 00:02:27,150 --> 00:02:31,110 Speaker 1: very clear command. It requires no interpretation. It is very helpful. 43 00:02:31,169 --> 00:02:36,010 Speaker 1: It's worth memorizing. The clear command is to wait for 44 00:02:36,070 --> 00:02:40,139 Speaker 1: the Lord. Stay strong, take heart, be encouraged, and wait 45 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:43,580 Speaker 1: for the Lord. Psalm 38 says, Lord, I wait for you. 46 00:02:43,740 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: You will answer, Lord my God. We can have confidence 47 00:02:47,860 --> 00:02:51,299 Speaker 1: in the reality that God will answer us. But we 48 00:02:51,380 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 1: do have to wait on his timing. So I want 49 00:02:55,139 --> 00:02:57,340 Speaker 1: to talk a little bit about what active waiting is, 50 00:02:57,419 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: why it is difficult, and then what we can take 51 00:03:00,210 --> 00:03:01,850 Speaker 1: from this and how we can move forward out of this. 52 00:03:01,910 --> 00:03:05,830 Speaker 1: So first and foremost, what is active waiting? This is 53 00:03:05,850 --> 00:03:08,850 Speaker 1: what I wrote down. Active waiting is living in the 54 00:03:08,950 --> 00:03:13,230 Speaker 1: present moment to the fullest so we can actively look 55 00:03:13,290 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: for signs of what's to come. Okay, so each of 56 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:20,019 Speaker 1: those pieces are important. living in the present moment to 57 00:03:20,180 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: the fullest, okay? So Psalm 130 says this, I wait 58 00:03:24,100 --> 00:03:28,470 Speaker 1: for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word, 59 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,270 Speaker 1: I put my hope. Your whole being waiting, that's such 60 00:03:32,310 --> 00:03:35,710 Speaker 1: an interesting phrase. It just, it implies this sense of 61 00:03:35,910 --> 00:03:40,610 Speaker 1: physically being present in the moment of my body, my emotions, 62 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:45,930 Speaker 1: my thoughts, actively choosing to wait, to be patient, to 63 00:03:46,030 --> 00:03:48,570 Speaker 1: wait for what God has for me. And that while 64 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: I'm doing that, what I can do is instead of 65 00:03:51,220 --> 00:03:53,700 Speaker 1: putting my hope in the answer, instead of putting my 66 00:03:53,740 --> 00:03:57,900 Speaker 1: hope in circumstances, I put my hope in God's word 67 00:03:58,180 --> 00:04:00,500 Speaker 1: and in the things that I'm learning from God. So 68 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:05,060 Speaker 1: living in the present moment to the fullest so we 69 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,580 Speaker 1: can actively look for signs of what's to come. Active 70 00:04:08,700 --> 00:04:12,690 Speaker 1: waiting is not passive at all. It It doesn't mean 71 00:04:12,750 --> 00:04:16,469 Speaker 1: that we cease existing. It doesn't mean that we cease serving. 72 00:04:16,529 --> 00:04:20,210 Speaker 1: That's actually the opposite of active waiting. We are called 73 00:04:20,300 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 1: to live life to the full each and every day. 74 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:27,260 Speaker 1: The scriptures say this is the day the Lord has made. 75 00:04:27,700 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: We will rejoice and be glad in it. So there's 76 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: this sense that we are called to be in the present, 77 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:38,540 Speaker 1: to actively look for opportunities to serve God in the present. 78 00:04:38,930 --> 00:04:41,290 Speaker 1: So our heart and our mind and our soul are 79 00:04:41,510 --> 00:04:45,450 Speaker 1: actively part of the world while we are also holding 80 00:04:45,490 --> 00:04:48,540 Speaker 1: out the hope and waiting on this answer that we 81 00:04:48,570 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: might be seeking. One of the reasons that waiting is 82 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:04,020 Speaker 1: so challenging for us, particularly in our day and age, 83 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:08,850 Speaker 1: is waiting is vulnerable. it makes us face the reality 84 00:05:08,950 --> 00:05:12,700 Speaker 1: of how little control we actually have in life. When 85 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 1: we keep moving, when we keep strategizing or worrying or 86 00:05:17,779 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 1: taking steps or whatever, we don't have to, we still 87 00:05:21,900 --> 00:05:24,860 Speaker 1: like feel a modicum of control when we do that. 88 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:27,860 Speaker 1: We don't have to face the fact that we feel 89 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:33,370 Speaker 1: vulnerable and unsure and small when we keep moving, either 90 00:05:33,490 --> 00:05:37,510 Speaker 1: moving mentally or moving physically. So this waiting, waiting on 91 00:05:37,540 --> 00:05:39,500 Speaker 1: the Lord and letting the Lord be the one who 92 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:42,099 Speaker 1: sets the pace and who decides when the time is 93 00:05:42,180 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 1: right really puts us in a position of surrender. And 94 00:05:45,660 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 1: that is very, very challenging for many of us. You 95 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:50,780 Speaker 1: may have learned that before in your life, and you 96 00:05:50,820 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: find that God's placing you in that position again, and 97 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:57,740 Speaker 1: you have an opportunity to live in it. And in 98 00:05:57,779 --> 00:06:00,210 Speaker 1: many ways, when I think about the people that I 99 00:06:00,310 --> 00:06:03,570 Speaker 1: know and that I speak with and minister with, almost 100 00:06:03,650 --> 00:06:06,420 Speaker 1: all of us are waiting on something. We're waiting for 101 00:06:06,460 --> 00:06:09,260 Speaker 1: something to come together. We're waiting for a relationship to begin. 102 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:11,820 Speaker 1: We're waiting for that next step in our career. We're 103 00:06:11,860 --> 00:06:14,620 Speaker 1: waiting for the pain to go away. We're waiting for 104 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,540 Speaker 1: a diagnosis to clear. We are waiting for the grief 105 00:06:17,580 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 1: to pass that we've been living in. There is so 106 00:06:19,779 --> 00:06:21,930 Speaker 1: much waiting as a part of life, but we don't 107 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:27,349 Speaker 1: have to passively wait. We can actually actively wait. Waiting 108 00:06:27,650 --> 00:06:31,169 Speaker 1: is an act of faith. I want to take us 109 00:06:31,190 --> 00:06:34,210 Speaker 1: to Acts chapter 1 today for our Bible study. This 110 00:06:34,300 --> 00:06:38,380 Speaker 1: is right at the beginning of the early church. Jesus 111 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:40,920 Speaker 1: has been resurrected from the cross and then he spent, 112 00:06:40,940 --> 00:06:43,659 Speaker 1: some of you might not know this, but Jesus spent 113 00:06:43,660 --> 00:06:47,730 Speaker 1: 40 days on earth after his resurrection. He went to 114 00:06:47,870 --> 00:06:52,190 Speaker 1: people and many people believed because they experienced him in 115 00:06:52,230 --> 00:06:55,710 Speaker 1: that time. And then he ascended to heaven. Then he 116 00:06:55,750 --> 00:06:58,630 Speaker 1: went to heaven after that time. This is all, by 117 00:06:58,650 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 1: the way, in Acts chapter 1. It says he appeared 118 00:07:00,540 --> 00:07:03,510 Speaker 1: to them over a period of 40 days. spoke about 119 00:07:03,550 --> 00:07:05,290 Speaker 1: the kingdom of God. I love that. That's where we 120 00:07:05,330 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 1: started our series, talking about the kingdom of God. And 121 00:07:08,510 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 1: he gave them a command while he was eating with 122 00:07:10,700 --> 00:07:13,140 Speaker 1: them at one point, and this is in verse 4. 123 00:07:13,140 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 1: It says, Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the 124 00:07:15,940 --> 00:07:18,860 Speaker 1: gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 125 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,020 Speaker 1: For John baptized with water, but in a few days 126 00:07:22,060 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So they 127 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:28,450 Speaker 1: had a very clear command from Jesus to wait And 128 00:07:28,500 --> 00:07:30,740 Speaker 1: the waiting was going to be for something that was 129 00:07:30,780 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 1: going to happen that they did not have control of 130 00:07:33,060 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 1: when that would happen. They had a little bit of 131 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:36,860 Speaker 1: a sense of when it might be, but they didn't 132 00:07:36,900 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: know really what it was going to be or when 133 00:07:38,820 --> 00:07:41,060 Speaker 1: it was going to be. And they gathered around him 134 00:07:41,100 --> 00:07:44,000 Speaker 1: and they said, Lord, are you at this time going 135 00:07:44,060 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 1: to restore the kingdom to Israel? And he said to them, 136 00:07:47,460 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 1: it is not for you to know the times or 137 00:07:49,740 --> 00:07:52,810 Speaker 1: dates the father has set by his own authority, but 138 00:07:53,250 --> 00:07:56,110 Speaker 1: you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. 139 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:59,220 Speaker 1: And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in 140 00:07:59,300 --> 00:08:02,380 Speaker 1: all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. 141 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:04,930 Speaker 1: And after he said this, he was taken up before 142 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:07,910 Speaker 1: their very eyes and a cloud hid him from their sight. 143 00:08:08,950 --> 00:08:12,410 Speaker 1: So this is Jesus's ascension. And basically the last words 144 00:08:12,450 --> 00:08:14,570 Speaker 1: that Jesus is saying when he is in his earthly 145 00:08:14,610 --> 00:08:18,130 Speaker 1: body on earth is you need to wait. He says 146 00:08:18,170 --> 00:08:20,290 Speaker 1: you need to wait and you're not going to understand 147 00:08:20,350 --> 00:08:23,730 Speaker 1: God's timing fully. But he does give direction within that, right? 148 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:26,540 Speaker 1: He says you need to wait until you experience the 149 00:08:26,580 --> 00:08:29,460 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit. And then he says you need to wait. 150 00:08:29,500 --> 00:08:31,500 Speaker 1: You don't know how this kingdom is going to be restored, 151 00:08:31,550 --> 00:08:33,050 Speaker 1: but I am telling you the Holy Spirit is going 152 00:08:33,070 --> 00:08:35,970 Speaker 1: to come on you in power. And I am giving 153 00:08:36,050 --> 00:08:38,470 Speaker 1: you some marching orders. I am telling you that the 154 00:08:38,510 --> 00:08:40,650 Speaker 1: command is that you are going to be a witness 155 00:08:40,690 --> 00:08:44,210 Speaker 1: of who I am. That is as true today, my friends, 156 00:08:44,270 --> 00:08:46,990 Speaker 1: as it was this day. We still do not know 157 00:08:47,190 --> 00:08:49,050 Speaker 1: when the Lord is going to restore his kingdom. The 158 00:08:49,150 --> 00:08:51,449 Speaker 1: answer is still the exact same as it was in Acts. 159 00:08:51,490 --> 00:08:53,270 Speaker 1: It is not for you to know the times or dates. 160 00:08:53,790 --> 00:08:56,390 Speaker 1: The Father has set by his own authority, but you 161 00:08:56,429 --> 00:08:58,390 Speaker 1: will receive power because the Holy Spirit is going to 162 00:08:58,429 --> 00:09:01,819 Speaker 1: come upon you. And here are your marching orders. You 163 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 1: are called to be a witness to me. Waiting does 164 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:09,780 Speaker 1: not preclude any of this from happening for us. This 165 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,179 Speaker 1: is part of the command of the faith is that 166 00:09:12,220 --> 00:09:15,340 Speaker 1: we serve God with our whole heart, even as we wait. Now, 167 00:09:15,380 --> 00:09:17,780 Speaker 1: what happens to these disciples as they wait? Now, we 168 00:09:17,820 --> 00:09:20,750 Speaker 1: know that they've been given the command to wait. And yet, 169 00:09:21,030 --> 00:09:23,900 Speaker 1: even in that command to wait, they were still active. 170 00:09:24,260 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 1: The apostles, they came together. They were always present with 171 00:09:28,380 --> 00:09:31,620 Speaker 1: one another. They decided in prayer that they needed to 172 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:35,739 Speaker 1: appoint a new disciple to replace Judas Iscariot. All of 173 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 1: these things happened while they were waiting. So in the waiting, 174 00:09:39,580 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 1: they were still active. They were singing hymns. They were 175 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:45,709 Speaker 1: praying together. They were joining and being together. And all 176 00:09:45,730 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 1: of this continues to happen. until they were all together 177 00:09:49,140 --> 00:09:51,449 Speaker 1: in one place and the Spirit came upon them. Now, 178 00:09:51,500 --> 00:09:53,530 Speaker 1: the Spirit didn't come upon them because they were all 179 00:09:53,570 --> 00:09:55,550 Speaker 1: together in one place. They were all together in one 180 00:09:55,590 --> 00:09:58,230 Speaker 1: place because Jesus had taught them how to live their life. 181 00:09:58,850 --> 00:10:02,210 Speaker 1: So they were living their life. They were making decisions together. 182 00:10:02,250 --> 00:10:05,380 Speaker 1: They were praying together. They were rejoicing together. So even 183 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 1: in the midst of waiting, they were still active. And 184 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:12,620 Speaker 1: then when they were together, the Holy Spirit came upon 185 00:10:12,660 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: them and filled them with power to go and do 186 00:10:15,580 --> 00:10:27,630 Speaker 1: the work that God had given them to do. Waiting 187 00:10:27,910 --> 00:10:30,929 Speaker 1: is an act of faith, but the Lord's made it 188 00:10:30,970 --> 00:10:35,309 Speaker 1: clear again and again that he will answer us, that 189 00:10:35,370 --> 00:10:38,630 Speaker 1: he will wait. We will wait and he will answer. 190 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:41,420 Speaker 1: In the morning, we lay our requests before him and 191 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:45,100 Speaker 1: wait expectantly. If you do not know what to do, 192 00:10:45,220 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 1: you wait. If you do not have clarity from the Lord, 193 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:51,780 Speaker 1: you wait. You keep doing all the things you know 194 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:54,900 Speaker 1: how to do to be a responsible person, serve the 195 00:10:54,940 --> 00:10:57,870 Speaker 1: people in front of you, and you actively wait on 196 00:10:57,929 --> 00:11:02,350 Speaker 1: God for the rest. We trust the opportunities that come 197 00:11:02,390 --> 00:11:06,770 Speaker 1: to us even in the waiting. Ecclesiastes 3 verse 1 says, 198 00:11:06,830 --> 00:11:10,630 Speaker 1: There is a time for everything, a season for everything 199 00:11:10,850 --> 00:11:14,330 Speaker 1: under the sun. Even in the midst of not having 200 00:11:14,370 --> 00:11:16,989 Speaker 1: an answer and perhaps never having a full answer on 201 00:11:17,030 --> 00:11:20,390 Speaker 1: this side of heaven, God still invites us into opportunities 202 00:11:20,450 --> 00:11:23,229 Speaker 1: to serve him. None of us are in a waiting 203 00:11:23,290 --> 00:11:25,430 Speaker 1: room that means that we don't have a role to 204 00:11:25,450 --> 00:11:28,130 Speaker 1: play in the kingdom. All of us are important in 205 00:11:28,170 --> 00:11:30,170 Speaker 1: the kingdom. You may be in a season where you 206 00:11:30,210 --> 00:11:33,689 Speaker 1: can serve very actively, or you may be in a 207 00:11:33,750 --> 00:11:38,100 Speaker 1: season of illness or some other reason that's keeping you 208 00:11:38,740 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 1: in a place where you have to trust and rely 209 00:11:40,980 --> 00:11:43,959 Speaker 1: on your relationship with God as the way that you're 210 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:47,020 Speaker 1: serving God, that not all of this is about everything 211 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:49,339 Speaker 1: that we go and do. We're also called to be 212 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:51,870 Speaker 1: and to worship in our heart. And that is a 213 00:11:51,910 --> 00:11:54,950 Speaker 1: part of the time for everything, a season for everything 214 00:11:55,610 --> 00:11:59,330 Speaker 1: under the sun. I want to address one thing that 215 00:11:59,350 --> 00:12:01,750 Speaker 1: I have talked about often that I hear being said, 216 00:12:01,790 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 1: which is, do I need to keep asking? Should I 217 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:07,540 Speaker 1: keep asking God for the answer that I'm seeking? And 218 00:12:07,580 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 1: the reality is both things happen in scripture, right? There 219 00:12:10,420 --> 00:12:13,140 Speaker 1: are places where people are seeking God again and again. 220 00:12:13,179 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 1: There are places where people ask God and then move, 221 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:18,880 Speaker 1: you know, they just ask and then they're trusting and 222 00:12:18,940 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: obedient that he's going to answer them. So here's what 223 00:12:21,300 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 1: I would say about asking God. Do I need to 224 00:12:24,059 --> 00:12:28,900 Speaker 1: keep asking God? If asking God brings you more deeply 225 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:33,150 Speaker 1: into alignment with him, if you go and get comfort 226 00:12:33,190 --> 00:12:36,130 Speaker 1: from God and it frees you up to be in 227 00:12:36,170 --> 00:12:41,550 Speaker 1: an active waiting position, an active posture of trust and obedience, 228 00:12:41,970 --> 00:12:45,949 Speaker 1: then keep asking. Go to him every morning and ask 229 00:12:46,010 --> 00:12:48,010 Speaker 1: him and tell him what you want. Ask for what 230 00:12:48,030 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: you need. Receive comfort from him if it moves you 231 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:55,680 Speaker 1: more deeply into alignment. But be honest with yourself. If 232 00:12:55,940 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: asking God over and over again for the same thing 233 00:12:59,350 --> 00:13:03,170 Speaker 1: makes you more and more impatient, if you find that 234 00:13:03,190 --> 00:13:07,250 Speaker 1: you're more self-concerned, that you're more absorbed in your own issues, 235 00:13:07,850 --> 00:13:10,310 Speaker 1: that it rattles around in your head all the time, 236 00:13:10,550 --> 00:13:13,410 Speaker 1: and that you're spending most of your time thinking about 237 00:13:13,429 --> 00:13:16,630 Speaker 1: this thing that he hasn't answered yet, then stop asking 238 00:13:17,250 --> 00:13:20,890 Speaker 1: and start serving. God has not forgotten about you. He 239 00:13:20,910 --> 00:13:24,170 Speaker 1: has not forgotten your request. There is a reason that 240 00:13:24,450 --> 00:13:26,910 Speaker 1: everything is made perfect in its time, and there's a 241 00:13:26,950 --> 00:13:28,809 Speaker 1: reason that the time is not yet that you hear 242 00:13:28,850 --> 00:13:33,170 Speaker 1: an answer. So get out there and live life. Actively 243 00:13:33,230 --> 00:13:36,490 Speaker 1: wait and be fully present with the day the Lord 244 00:13:36,550 --> 00:13:39,250 Speaker 1: has made. This is the day the Lord has made. 245 00:13:39,870 --> 00:13:42,689 Speaker 1: We will rejoice and be glad in it. By virtue 246 00:13:42,730 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 1: of the fact that the Lord made this day for you, 247 00:13:45,460 --> 00:13:47,340 Speaker 1: he is also saying that there is a way to 248 00:13:47,380 --> 00:13:50,210 Speaker 1: rejoice and be glad in it. Even without the answer, 249 00:13:50,350 --> 00:13:52,390 Speaker 1: you can still rejoice and be glad in the day 250 00:13:52,429 --> 00:13:55,230 Speaker 1: that you have right here. And you can know and 251 00:13:55,309 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 1: trust that he has heard your prayer. Now, if you 252 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 1: find comfort and more deep alignment with the Lord when 253 00:14:02,940 --> 00:14:07,060 Speaker 1: you're seeking him out, when you're seeking out those holy desires, 254 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:11,260 Speaker 1: then absolutely do that. Do what brings you into closer 255 00:14:11,350 --> 00:14:14,830 Speaker 1: alignment with God's heart, right? Delight yourself in the Lord 256 00:14:14,870 --> 00:14:16,530 Speaker 1: and he will give you the desires of your heart. 257 00:14:16,990 --> 00:14:20,810 Speaker 1: So come to God. Here's our prayer, who says, you 258 00:14:20,830 --> 00:14:24,590 Speaker 1: can come to me expectantly every morning, but remember, what 259 00:14:24,650 --> 00:14:28,070 Speaker 1: is the destination? That all the things we normally are 260 00:14:28,130 --> 00:14:30,729 Speaker 1: praying for are means to an end. The end is 261 00:14:30,830 --> 00:14:34,210 Speaker 1: serving God with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. 262 00:14:34,250 --> 00:14:36,450 Speaker 1: That is what he's called us to do. He's called 263 00:14:36,490 --> 00:14:38,930 Speaker 1: us to that kind of love. And that is how 264 00:14:38,970 --> 00:14:43,310 Speaker 1: we help discern between seasons of waiting and seasons of activity. 265 00:14:44,290 --> 00:14:46,910 Speaker 1: All right, friends, we will be Back together next week 266 00:14:46,970 --> 00:14:49,410 Speaker 1: to wrap up this series. Go ahead and grab the 267 00:14:49,450 --> 00:14:53,460 Speaker 1: guide at NicoleYunus.com slash decisions if you haven't yet. And 268 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:59,620 Speaker 1: I look forward to chatting with you next week. How 269 00:14:59,660 --> 00:15:02,460 Speaker 1: to Study the Bible with Nicole Yunus is a production 270 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 1: of Life Audio and Salem Media. If you like what 271 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,140 Speaker 1: you heard today, please take a second to rate and 272 00:15:08,180 --> 00:15:11,380 Speaker 1: review the podcast in your favorite podcast app so that 273 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:15,500 Speaker 1: more listeners like you can find the show. For more faith-filled, 274 00:15:15,620 --> 00:15:18,750 Speaker 1: inspirational podcasts, visit us at lifeaudio.com.