More Waiting and a Beautiful Analogy
I'm really loving this little book that I was given the other day. It's called, "Learning to Wait," by John Ortberg. I found this section so profound in light of our situation. He writes:
"Henri Nouwen gave us a picture of patient trust not long before he died in 1996. Writing about some trapeze artists who became good friends of his, he explained that there is a very special relationship between the flyer and the catcher....
As the flyer is swinging high above the crowd, the moment comes when he lets go of the trapeze, when he arcs out into the air. For that moment, which must feel like an eternity, the flyer is suspended in nothingness. It is too late to reach back for the trapeze. There is no going back now. However, it is too soon to be grasped by the one who will catch him. He cannot accelerate the catch. In that moment, his job is to be as still and motionless as he can.
'The flyer must never try to catch the catcher,' the trapeze artist told Nouwen. 'He must wait in absolute trust. The catcher will catch him. But he must wait, His job is not to flail about in anxiety. In fact, if he does, it could kill him. His job is to be still. To wait. And to wait is the hardest work of all.'
You may be in that vulnerable moment right now - you have let go of what God has called you to let go of, but you can't feel God's other hand catching you yet. Will you wait in absolute trust? Will you be patient? Waiting requires patient trust."
What an incredible picture of how we're feeling right now! We've trusted God and let go of the trapeze, and we can trust Him the catch us as well. Will we wait in patient trust? I hope this encourages others who are waiting also.
"Henri Nouwen gave us a picture of patient trust not long before he died in 1996. Writing about some trapeze artists who became good friends of his, he explained that there is a very special relationship between the flyer and the catcher....
As the flyer is swinging high above the crowd, the moment comes when he lets go of the trapeze, when he arcs out into the air. For that moment, which must feel like an eternity, the flyer is suspended in nothingness. It is too late to reach back for the trapeze. There is no going back now. However, it is too soon to be grasped by the one who will catch him. He cannot accelerate the catch. In that moment, his job is to be as still and motionless as he can.
'The flyer must never try to catch the catcher,' the trapeze artist told Nouwen. 'He must wait in absolute trust. The catcher will catch him. But he must wait, His job is not to flail about in anxiety. In fact, if he does, it could kill him. His job is to be still. To wait. And to wait is the hardest work of all.'
You may be in that vulnerable moment right now - you have let go of what God has called you to let go of, but you can't feel God's other hand catching you yet. Will you wait in absolute trust? Will you be patient? Waiting requires patient trust."
What an incredible picture of how we're feeling right now! We've trusted God and let go of the trapeze, and we can trust Him the catch us as well. Will we wait in patient trust? I hope this encourages others who are waiting also.
4 Comments:
That truly is a beautiful analogy!
By Holly, At February 26, 2008 at 6:33 PM
That is beautiful. Thank you for sharing it. I think I just might have to get that book!
By AhsMom, At February 26, 2008 at 7:05 PM
Thank you so much for sharing this. It really touched my heart today!
By Amanda, At February 26, 2008 at 9:08 PM
That is EXACTLY how I am feeling! God has called me to let go of my expectations of my children being somwhat close in age and the timing of the adoption, which I am trying hard to do! I wait with excitment to see what God has in store for our family. Thanks for sharing!
By Nichole, At February 26, 2008 at 9:50 PM
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