“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”                      Jeremiah 29:13

I love the changing of the seasons and already I’m wondering what great new adventures the LORD has in store for me this Fall.  For the last few mornings I’ve been waking up several hours before the time I wished to get up.  I pray and repeat bible verses but still I can’t seem to get back to sleep.  My spirit has been restless for days and I have questioned God if I am on the right path or if He has a new direction He wants me to take.  But I feel as though I’m standing at a locked gate and all I hear is silence.   “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”               Proverbs 3:5, 6

I wondered if I was asking God to direct me and then happily going down the path of my choice.   “This is what the LORD says:  Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”      Jeremiah 6:16

I felt that I had come to a crossroads in life and had no idea which way to go.   “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying ‘This is the way; walk in it.'”      Isaiah 30:21

But I wasn’t hearing any voice, just silence.  Staying in bed when I couldn’t sleep seemed such a waste of valuable time when I had so much to get done.  But I wondered if God was trying to tell me something and I just wasn’t listening! Then this verse came into my mind and so I decided to lie still.

“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”           Psalm 46:10    I felt that God was being silent for a very good reason I just wished He would hurry up and tell me what it was.  I do not like to wait and if He had a new plan for my life, it seemed important to get up and get started.  But last week when I read Nikki’s post, “What Can I Do” at Simply striving and thought about these words from the song, “A Little Longer” by Brian and Jean Johnson, I felt like He was speaking straight to my heart.

“You don’t have to do a thing
Just simply be with Me and let those things go
‘Cause they can wait another minute
Wait…this moment is too sweet
Would you please stay here with Me
And love on Me a little longer.
I’d love to be with you a little longer
‘Cause I’m in love with you.”

So this morning when I couldn’t sleep, I thought about those words.  It was almost as though I could hear God saying, “You worry too much about sleep, my child.  I will give you rest.  Just wait here awhile in my Presence.”  And then I felt the greatest sense of peace and joy.  I felt so loved like a child in his father’s arms.  It is hard to describe the warm, secure feeling I felt as my Heavenly Father reassured me and held me close in His loving arms.   Perhaps God just wants us to slow down and seek Him with our whole heart.  He promises to give us peace in the storms of life if we will abide in His Presence.  When the time is right He will leads us in the way He has chosen for us.  But for now I’m just going to rest in His wonderful Presence.

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.  Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you.”                Isaiah 43:1, 4