KINGDOM HANGOUT I || On waiting

 "That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good". [Romans 8:24-34]

If there's anything I've learned this year, It is how to be patient. Patience is key. I know its easier said than done though. I've also learned to Love.

 I sowed a seed last year with respect to some things I really wanted this year, little did I know that it would take "so long" for me to get answers. 

But waiting on the Lord has really taught me a lot.

 I'm not the most patient person and at some point because of my impatience I settled for less than what I wanted not  because I thought God was never going to answer  me but because I just wasn't patient enough. 

Of course settling for less was a huge mistake because I was not truly satisfied and that was a lesson for me,

Just as I have learned from the scripture above, its okay to get tired while waiting. You don't have to beat yourself up about it

"the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along

 At first I beat myself up for getting tired of waiting. I was angry with myself for getting frustrated.  I was struggling, after a while I  hardly ever prayed about the things I wanted, in my mind I just said "when things want to work out they would" . So I occupied myself with other things [Tip: While waiting occupy yourself and get your mind off what you're waiting for]

The thing is when I said "when things want to work out they would", it wasn't just wishful thinking somewhere at the back of my mind I was still expectant but that wasn't my main focus. 

[Wishful thinking only makes you frustrated like I was at first, you have to be Expectant with Faith]

 When things started working out I was first like "but I didn't even pray oh so fervently for any of these things" and God led me to this scripture [Romans 8:26] and I was like "ooooh all those times I was sighing so much and putting my hands on my cheeks  God's Spirit had been praying for me all along! Lol

That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good".

The solution is living a life of Love for God! 

The Spirit won't make intercessions for you except you live a life of Love. I started to ask when did I even live a life of love? Then I was  reminded of when I paid my tithes even when I had very little, when I gave to others, when I encouraged others even when I had not even encouraged myself, when I made intercession for others etc. [Hint! Hint! Hint!]

Thinking about it now, my answers might have come sooner if I didn't settle for less at some point though.Hmmm

[Lesson learnt: Living a life a Love for God doesn't include being impatient, it includes respecting His timing]

Is it really necessary to Live a Life of Love?

Yes

 Living a life of Love while waiting keeps you present before God and prepares you for when your answers would come 

So with or without answers once you're consummated in a life of Love for God it won't really make a difference to you. When you receive answers it would as though you never had to wait for them to come! 

Living a life of Love while waiting involves getting your mind off what it is you're waiting for, not coveting, never give up, always looking for the best, Putting up with anything, and of course Trusting God [1 Corinthians 13:7]

Because Eyes have not seen and ears have not heard and it hasn't even entered the heart of any man what God has set up for those who Love him [1 Corinthians 2:9] 

1      Corinthians 14:1 

"Go after a life of love as if your life depends on it, because it does"

"We have to go after a life of Love because it completes our incompletes"

"God's Love fills the void of everything we think we cannot live without" [1 Corinthians 13:8-10]

"But when the complete arrives, our incompletes would be canceled"

 Trust steadily in God, Hope unswervingly and Love Extravagantly. And of course the best of the three is Love! 

• In summary, while waiting, Yes, be very patient but also Love, Trust, shift your focus and be eager with Faith in your heart! 

• It Okay to wait patiently and expectantly for God to answer you but when you mix that with Love for God and Love for others as though you have it all together, there's no doubt you'd be the one Paul was talking about in 1 Corinthians 2:9

I hope this helped someone out there?!

I think I talked more on Love than patience in this post..lol well they walk hand in hand when you're waiting on God and this is the strategy I take on while doing so, I know you have yours as well. Do share in the comment box below. Thank you 

[All Scripture was taken from The Message translation of the Bible.]

Lets stay in touch on Twitter @kunmii_o and Instagram @olakunmi_

Stay Beautiful

xo