When all I can do is "not do."

Though I haven't written as often this year, God is teaching me during my inactivity. He's calling me to live in trust and reminding me, when I accuse him of not caring, that he gave his life for me. This act of supreme sacrifice means that he is involved in every detail of my pain, that he could not be more present or involved in my struggles. Though he appears to be sleeping in the stern while the storm is swamping my life, he is in total control of even the most powerful forces.

During a dangerous storm that threatened their boat, the disciples woke Jesus and asked "Don't you care if we drown?" and I have asked the same question in similar words. He responded to them (and to me) like a father wounded by his child's lack of trust: "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

In Him I must trust. On Him I must wait.

If you feel today like God has hemmed you in, isolated you, or prevented you from serving him in the ways you had planned, remember the "service of waiting" as George Matheson did when he considered God's restrictions and limitations on Paul's missionary journey:

Sometimes I have been interrupted in what seemed to be quite productive work. And at times, opposition came and forced me to go back, or sickness came and forced me to rest in some isolated place.

During such times, it was difficult for me to leave my work unfinished when I believed it was a service done in the power of His Spirit. But I finally remembered that the Spirit requires not only a service of work but also a service of waiting. I came to see that in the kingdom of Christ, there are not only times for action but times to refrain from action. And I also came to learn that a place of isolation is often the most useful place of all in this diverse world.  (...)

[Holy Spirit,] Help me to find, even in the area of service where you have closed a door, a new entrance into your service. Inspire me with the knowledge that that a person may sometimes be called to serve by doing nothing, by staying still, or by waiting.
-George Matheson (Streams in the Desert)

This waiting in faith requires me to slow down and determine to seek God's presence daily, not just go through motions while gritting my teeth.

Waiting upon God is vital in order to see Him and receive a vision from Him. And the amount of time spent before Him is also critical, for our hearts are like a photographer's film - the longer exposed, the deeper the impression. For God's vision to be impressed upon our hearts, we must sit in stillness at His feet for quite a long time. Remember, the troubled surface of a lake will not reflect an image.
- Dr. Pardington (Streams in the Desert)

In your walk with God, it's easy to get frustrated and angry at his delays and inaction. But his purposes are not always visible. He is doing a work in you that he promises to bring to completion. It's up to us to wait with trust.

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." Philippians 1:6 (NLT)