"The Process before the Promise" is the first chapter in my new devotional book of 50 devotions,
seeing beautiful again, by Lisa TerKeurst. As a weird reader/wordsmith, the fact that the chapter title was alphabetically correct as well as contextual spiritually, was a great hook. BTW, I chose the verb, proceed in this entry title because it can indicate moving ahead---ie. to continue and it keeps the title alliterative and in ABC order. Though, I admit, precede would definitely work & probably more definitively, except for my alphabetic idiosyncrasy.
What follows are
my journal jottings. I have decided I cannot do one chapter per day, rather I meditate on just one chapter, with its scripture correlations per week.
- Sufferings seem present for a long time; long-suffering is not always long enough to match the suffering from the struggle.
- TerKeuherst's "Hurting but still hoping--" (p.14) touches my idiosyncratic tendency of alphabetical order. For me: Hoping in spite of the hurting. Hoping is what helps us get through the hurt. (Though I clearly understand the author's context.)
- Great reflection on Psalm 40.
- Psalm 40:1-10--David is praising the Lord---a perfect basis for hope being able to flourish.....regardless. He is waiting patiently---it's part of the process.
- Hope is a continuous action part to the process. Sometimes repeated over and over.
- David continues to focus on God's goodness, even in the struggles/low places, reinforcing his belief in God's goodness to continue.
- Psalm 40:11-17--David continues crying out to the LORD, recounting his need as well as his trust. David remembers the Lord is his help and deliverer.
Application---aka "Do it, Dots"
The Lord put David upon a rock. God kept His promise that He is with those who trust in Him. As He did for David, He will do for me "On Christ the solid rock I stand." He is my Hope. Live it out so that others may see the hope within especially during the hardest times.
Waiting is a part of the process.
W orshipping
A s
I
T rust (my acronym)
How we wait shows our testimony lived out..... of the One in whom we place our hope because of HIs promises. He works all things together (Process --> Promise) for our good and His glory, regardless of the circumstantial or relational outcome in our lives.
