"I do know that waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to God about it whenever it intrudes upon one's thoughts. It is easy to talk oneself into a decision that has no permanence-easier sometimes than to wait patiently."
~Elizabeth Elliot
I just started reading Passion and Purity by Elizabeth Elliot last night. It's a book that Lisa recommended awhile ago and also one of my friend's here, so I am finally reading it. This woman and her faith blows me away. Her patient nature and desire to serve God first above all else is so encouraging to me. Life can offer so many good things, but God must always be first, which is her life testimony. This means that any of those good things that we long for must be pushing us to keep God first. Life is not about our desires being met, it is about us meeting God's desires for our lives. Every relationship that we have should be encouraging us toward this purpose. Even after she meets the one she loves, and he pursues her and openly admits his love for her, they both decide that just because they both have that desire doesn't neccesarily mean it is God's will which is why they didn't act on anything for awhile. (or at least i think it was awhile because i'm only 70 pages into the book so far :-)
It just really amazed me that God was so important to them that they decided that He was more important than their relationship and that they needed to be patient. I loved this quote because life is hard and to accept the things she mentions, the uncertainty and unanswered questions, is the only way to continue being joyful. If you don't except that, life will only bitterly dissapoint you. When life's events don't turn out the way you plan, or people dissapoint you when they don't seem to care as much as you want them to, we need to joyfully embrace the beauty of this quote.
God has been stretching me so much and just comforting my heart and molding it and putting a burden on me to just love people all the more even when they dissapoint me or let me down. To keep becoming more like Christ when conversations, events, or love doesn't happen the way I choose. And even if I don't reap all the things closest to my heart now, God promises eternal life with Him. And living to become more like Him for just the simple fact that He loves me is enough for me to dedicate my whole life to Him. No matter what happens in my life, whether experiencing the joy of what love and marriage can bring, or solely focusing on God without the added distraction- I can continue to learn contentment and experience true love by seeking after the creator of perfect love. And as the quote says, throughout the day as my mind wanders to the unanswered question, even if on some days it could be every two seconds, continually choosing and trusting in Him for that minute is a life that will bring glory to Him.
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I'm glad you like the book so far. Keep me posted on your thoughts about it. I miss you!
Hey there!
Ahhh yes... a great read.... In the beginning there is a timeline of their relationship (I think it's the introduction)...
The book amazed me with her continued focus on God and His will... There is a part in the beginning that really struck me and I am going to come back with the specifics of it... but the book is at home... and I want to make sure to quote it right...
Love ~G
hehe... woah posting on my own blog :-) thanks for the comments guys!
Just another little bit that has been striking me the more I get into it. I think that it is so beautiful that this man protected her purity so much. He openly spoke that he pretty much wanted her (hehe i found this pretty funny :-) but he set very strict guidlines in physical aspects of their relationship as well as the emotional and always putting spiritual first. He always was checking himself and encouraging her to seek God first and not to depend on him so much. He truly pursued her, and protected her, and was not afraid to say that she was not as important to him as God, but he still loved her very much. He was one amazing man and I was really blown away at how he could not only control his own passions and desires, but protect her out of his love for her.
I'm not gonna lie, it's so beautiful. Some might see it as old fashioned, but if I were to ever get married someday I want a relationship that is based on purity and Christ, and having the guy as the pursuer. Love this book! To all who recommended it you were right! :-)
K... I remembered one, but there is another one that I still need to search for.
The first had to do with a lady asking Elisabeth "if it was okay to tell God she would be a missionary if He'll give me a husband?" and her response was "no, are we in a bargaining position with our Creator, Redeemer, the Holy One?" It reminded me of a conversation I had with Brenda Johnston.
I also appreciate his protection of both of their purity... their courtship was very sweet, and they were away from one another more than together...
I find it quite humorous that he told her that a condition of his proposal was that she needed to learn Quichua. His words were "I won't not marry you until you learn it." gosh... that's pretty tough... :-)
Love ~G