I'm working on the third chapter of my new book, WAITING FOR WONDER, a Transformational Journey through the Life of Sarah (supposed to come out with Abingdon Press in the fall of 2016). This week I'm thinking about how sometimes we "arrive," or we get what we had been praying for, or we finally get "there," and it turns out to be not everything we'd hoped. It isn't the end-all, be-all. Life is still hard, we still struggle, and what we thought would be a place of settling into a better life turns out to just be the beginning of other issues we must face and deal with.
Ever been there? If so, share! I'm hoping this chapter will be a help and encouragement to all of us who find ourselves in this place.
Here's what I have so far for the chapter introduction:
How many times? How many times, Lord, have I thought if only I could get “there,” then all would be well? How many times have I set my hopes on something and believed that all my problems would be solved if only I could achieve that one thing. How many times have I prayed for the thing that I knew would save me, but it has fallen short?
Sometimes arriving isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Even the promised land isn’t the answer to all our hopes, our fears, our dreams, our needs. I forget that sometimes. But Sarai reminds me.
She reminds me to be careful where I place my hope, be careful of where I believe I’ll find my answers.
She reminds me that the promised land is a poor substitute for the God of Promise.
And here's the thought I'm mulling over for Sarai and for me:
When God gives a promise, the Promise is not a place, it's a Person. It's God Himself.
What do you think? Have you experienced this?
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