Crock pot vs Microwave God?

This week, I've been literally bombarded by different modalities teaching me about waiting on God and how to use your situation...RIGHT NOW...to do something for the Kingdom...and it's only Tuesday!  That's been my heart, but as only God can do, He just keeps pounding it in to this thick skull...okay, I got it God!

Here's some of the revelations of the week that I would like to share with you.  DISCLAIMER:  Most of them have been "borrowed" and "paraphrased" from other speakers so I will give credit where credit is due (I mean, why reinvent the wheel, right?)!

• Sometimes in life, you've got to bunt.  Quit trying to swing for the fences and do what you can do, in this moment, to just connect and do SOMETHING for the Kingdom.  Use your trials, troubles, heart aches NOW and quit saying "well when I'm over this, then I will help someone".  Steven Furtick
• God is placing a comma in your life, not a period.  This is NOT OVER...the best is yet to come.  He's a God of the commas, not periods!  Herbert Cooper
• "Many of us may feel like it's Friday and we're being crucified, but Sunday is coming, and God will get all the glory.  The same power that conquered the grave lives in every believer.  We all have the victory of Jesus inside of us.  If we walk IN that victory, instead of thinking that we are fighting FOR victory, we'll understand He's present in our lives."  Perry Noble, What is God Really Like?
• "Remember this as you wait: God isn't doing something TO you, but something IN you."  "God sees our problems as an opportunity to help us rely on him more for strength and to grow in spiritual maturity." "God wants to break your heart for the things that break His heart".  Toby Slough, What is God Really Like?

Do we see a pattern here?  Hmmm...God will use the periods of waiting in our lives to refine us, grow us, change us to the man/woman He has called us to be.  And when He is ready, He will move us on to the next step.  The Bible is FULL of these instances of waiting, some times, like in Moses' case, up to FORTY years...but then out of that waiting came AMAZING, jaw dropping things (I'm just picturing Charlton Heston and the Red Sea parting right now!).  So, why don't we want to wait?  We are so impatient, we want it all now (drive through, microwave generation), and we absolutely don't want to wait (hey, I'm not casting stones, I'm the same way).  However, we serve a crock pot God, as our pastor so eloquently teaches; He wants us to simmer on low for a loooong time so He can get us ready and make sure the changes stick.  If we got nuked, probably wouldn't be a lasting change and we wouldn't be able to appreciate the outcome as much.

So, as much as I hate to admit it, I think I like serving a crock pot God.  If I got everything my way, all the time, right now, what a spoiled brat I would be!  For the first time in my life, I'm actually okay with waiting on God and I'm not trying to run ahead.  What's the rush really?  I'm waiting, I'm learning, I'm growing, I'm (gulp) maturing?  I'm taking time to slow down and enjoy life, smell the roses, simplify a bit and have my priorities in line.  I'm finding the blessings to be tremendous. 

From the time Brad and I started dating, I had always told him that he was worth the wait...and he was and he is I can assure you.  But for the first time in my life, I'm learning that God has felt the same way about me...He's been there all along, He's been waiting all this time for me to turn to Him 100%...and I feel Him smiling and saying TO ME, "It's been worth the wait."

Simmering on low,

JOY