Birds Sing in the Dark

You may (or may not) have noticed that I didn’t post last week. I think God is teaching me how to wait on Him and trust His perfect timing. Have you experienced a season of waiting? Like me, you may find it difficult. When we receive a glimpse from God, we are ready to forge ahead, but most of the time, we are to wait on God. In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers notably said that with every vision comes darkness. We are not given the complete view and results – only one small glimpse. When we are in the dark, we must wait for God to speak and show us the right time to move.

Any pressure to perform or move forward is of myself, not God. His yoke is easy, and His burden light (Matt. 11:30, ESV). Chambers also said that when our spirit is dejected, or in my words, disappointed and depressed, it is always of our own doing because we have tried to get ahead of God. Ouch! That stings, but only because it holds so much truth. There is freedom (not bondage) where the Spirit of the Lord is (2 Cor. 3:17, ESV).

We find Jesus speaking to His disciples, teaching them to ask, seek, and knock in Matthew 7:7-11 and Luke 11:5-8. Luke even says those who ask will receive, those who seek will find, and those who knock it will be opened. But before we jump on board, let’s dive deeper to see how to apply this correctly. The ESV Study Bible notes that ASK or PRAY: means coming to God humbly and aware of our needs; SEEK: hitches our prayers with responsible actions in pursuing God’s will, not our own; and KNOCK: is our perseverance. Don’t give up just because God hasn’t answered yet. Our persistence comes with the confidence that the Father will provide whatever His gracious and sovereign will is because He knows what is best for us.

But I want to add one more….TRUST. That’s a big one. After we ask, seek God’s will, and knock repeatedly, we must trust God with the outcome and not worry or be disappointed. But waiting in the dark, depending on God’s timing and answer, will be better than we can imagine when it does come.

Waiting is hard, especially when we are in the dark about what God is doing or not doing. But God…is a loving Father who gives GOOD gifts to His children (Matt. 7:11, ESV).

Even birds sing in the dark.

We can still praise God in our hearts – even in the dark and the seasons of waiting. I think God’s love language must be quality time – He loves spending time with His kids. Maybe the seasons of waiting are to draw us closer to Him, allowing the Holy Spirit to comfort us under the shelter of the Most High (Ps. 91:1). Under His wing’s shadow, there is no darkness that His light cannot penetrate.

Do you hear His call? “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28, emphasis mine).