The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers sang a song called "The Waiting" in which the title of this blog is a line in the song.

The Chorus of the song:

The waiting is the hardest part

Everyday you see one more card

You take it on faith
You take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part.
(words by Tom Petty)

This speaks to me in so many ways. Right now I feel like God is having me wait until all the pieces of the puzzle are ready to be assembled. At times it is frustrating for me. I have such a desire to reach out now to people all over, yet here I sit writing blogs several times a week.

Then today happens. Right before Easter, a lady Jehovah's Witness came up to me and when she introduced herself, I introduced me. She seemed taken back only for a minute at the announcement of Reverend, but she composed herself and we briefly talked, with me telling her about Upside Down Christianity. She gave me her "Watchtower" magazine, I gave her my business card with my blog URL and she left. File 13 on the mag and I didn't think anymore of it. (i was going out of town that day for the weekend and had too many other things on my mind. I especially didn't have a lot of time to talk.)

Fast forward to today.

She came back today with another man. Bibles in hand, they are ready for battle. She said she had thought of me often and wanted to come back and talk to me. (God is giving me one more chance to witness to her? Maybe? Since I was too busy last time? Sorry God, I won't do that again!)

So they are quoting scriptures, and I'm answering them right back from memory, even backing up my own beliefs with my own scriptures from Micah, Revelation, Joshua (not everyday scriptures that you carry around in your head.)

Years ago i would have had to shut the door on them to get some peace. (one time I scared a bunch of them to death (unintentionally), another story, another time, although I am almost dying to tell it right now.) This time after about 30 minutes, they said they had to go, and said goodbye and left. But for 30 minutes I got to witness to her.

So I got to thinking. If I was at another town, in another church, I would have missed today's opportunity. What she does with the info that I gave her I am not sure. Will she remember it? Will she shrug it off? I pray not. But it lightened my load a bit to know that while I wait on where God will send me next, He is still able to use me here where I am.

So Tom, here is my breakdown of your song:

The waiting is the hardest part

Yep, it's a booger when you have to learn patience while God prepares you and others for where you're going next.

Everyday you see one more card

They say you live with what cards you're dealt in life. Frankly, each hand keeps getting better and better.

You take it on faith

Twofold: My faith is what drives me to do the ministry, and my faith in God will supply all I need to have the ministry that He has planned for me

You take it to the heart

I have treasured your promise in my heart so that I may not sin against you. Psalm 119:11 NASB

The waiting is the hardest part.

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Psalm 27:14 KJV

May God bless you in your waiting.

Worshipping in Spirit

We are called to worship in spirit and in truth.  Worshiping in spirit is based on the nature of God.  Since God is spirit, His worshipers must worship in spirit.  As spirit, God is not confined to a particular location, such as a church building or temple.  The place where true worship occurs is in the heart of man.

Matthew 15:8-9/Isaiah 29:13

          'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.  BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'"

1 Samuel 16:7

          …God sees not as mans sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

1 Kings 8:39

          …for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men, that they may fear You…

Jeremiah 17:9-10

          "The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?  I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.”

Proverbs 15:11

          Sheol and Abbadon lie open before the LORD, how much more the hearts of men?

Psalms 44:20-21

          If we had forgotten the name of our God, or extended our hands to a strange god;

Would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.

Worship of the heart and spirit is contrasted with “formal worship”, with its emphasis being on the outward forms of worship without the heart of worship.

Genesis 4- Cain and Abel’s sacrifices

Isaiah 1:11-16

          "What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams, And the fat of fed cattle. And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.  When you come to appear before Me, Who requires of you this trampling of My courts?  Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies-- I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.  I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me. I am weary of bearing them.  So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you, Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.  Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil,”

Luke 11:39-44

          But the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness.  You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also?  But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you.  But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.  Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the front seats in the synagogues, and the respectful greetings in the market places.  Woe to you! For you are like concealed tombs, and the people who walk over them are unaware of it."

Formal worship ought to express our hearts response to the character of God.  The forms of worship are not intended to make us look good or feel good.  They are intended to express our hearts as we honor the Lord.  All our singing, clapping, raising our hands, bowing our heads, praying, and sharing are empty and worthless to God unless our hearts are worshiping Him.

Don’t let our worship be a nuisance to God because of our arrogant “going through the motions” of formal worship.  Spend time to reflect and meditate on His revelations of Himself and His works.  When God reveals more of who He is or what He has done for you don’t hold back!!  Proclaim His worthiness to Him and honor Him with your worship from you heart.  Wherever you are you can worship Him in spirit.  So do it!!