Day #7 – 30 Day Challenge

2015/September by Marji Laine 2 Comments

c07 Doldrums is the section of Thirty Days of Devotion that we’re going through today. The word was used as a description of windless seas. And there is such an area in the Atlantic that sailors and explorers marked on maps to avoid.

This is where the waiting place in the last section becomes stagnation. Where lack of directed activity warps into inactivity. This can lead to depression and even despair.

It’s a balance. Waiting on the Lord is one thing. Doing nothing is quite another. (Tweet This!)

While in the waiting place, we need to take advantage of the pause. Stay close to the Lord. Truly feast on Him. Maybe even assist in ministries we haven’t had time to work with in the past. Henry Blackaby said it this way in Discovering God. “See where the Lord is working and join Him.”

That doesn’t mean stop waiting for Him. On the contrary. When the master left his stewards in charge, the two faithful ones were full of activity until he returned. Only the one who did nothing was reprimanded.

So don’t get caught in the murky muck of the doldrums. Waiting doesn’t have to be frustrating, futile, or defeating. Take what the Lord has given you and move with it (for His glory) until He gives further instructions.

Your Turn: As you look around, where do you see the Lord working right now? What ministry or movement shows His hand? Can you join in?

We’ve completed one whole week of our challenge! Gotten through a weekend AND a holiday! Woohoo! If you haven’t been able to join us until now, no worries. Jump in! We’re going through Thirty Days of Devotion, available at Amazon.com, and tomorrow we’ll be the last of this first seasonal section, Spiritual Bog.

Author: Marji Laine

Marji is a recently "graduated" homeschooling mom whose twin girls have blessed her by sticking around the nest for a little longer. She spends her days directing the children’s music program at her church and working with the authors of Write Integrity Press to put out the best possible version of their books. Raised in suburban Dallas, she got her first taste of writing through the stories of brilliant authors of their day, Mignon Eberhart and Phyllis A. Whitney, and through stage experience. After directing and acting in productions for decades, Marji started writing her own scripts. From that early beginning, she delved into creating scintillating suspense with a side of Texas sassy. She invites readers to unravel their inspiration, seeking a deeper knowledge of the Lord’s Great Mystery that invites us all.

2 thoughts on “Day #7 – 30 Day Challenge”

Kristen Pothier
2015/September at 8:17 pm

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8. Waiting for the Lord and His works is essential. And so many times in the past I have jumped into just things that we not from the Lord. Although they were “good” things, it was not what the Lord wanted for me. So, right now I am learning and trusting in the Lord for all my health, housing, and family issues. I am learning so much because I have been “quiet” before and waiting for the Him. And He is faithful!!!!!

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- Marji Laine
  2015/September at 11:56 pm
  
  I see what you’re saying. I agree that we have to be willing to wait for the early and late rains. But that doesn’t (always) mean inactivity. For instance, while I wait for editors to make decisions on my books, I’m still writing. I have a dear friend who just ended her teaching career. She’s volunteering regularly until she feels led into a more permanent job or ministry.
  
  Sometimes, stopping and really listening is essential for our growth and ability to follow. But sometimes, the fact that we’re moving puts us in the perfect position to follow His leading.
  
  Either way, you are so right! He is faithful! He will lead! He’s never too early, but He’s NEVER late! 🙂
  
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