In "Other" Words - Tuesdays at CWO

wor•ship [wur-ship] noun, verb, -shiped, -ship•ing or (especially British ) -shipped, -ship•ping.
–noun
1. reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred.
2. formal or ceremonious rendering of such honor and homage: They attended worship this morning.
3. adoring reverence or regard: excessive worship of business success.
4. the object of adoring reverence or regard.
5. (initial capital letter ) British. a title of honor used in addressing or mentioning certain magistrates and others of high rank or station (usually prec. by Your, His, or Her).
–verb (used with object)
6. to render religious reverence and homage to.
7. to feel an adoring reverence or regard for (any person or thing).
–verb (used without object)
8. to render religious reverence and homage, as to a deity.
9. to attend services of divine worship.
10. to feel an adoring reverence or regard.

cloud [kloud]
–noun
1. a visible collection of particles of water or ice suspended in the air, usually at an elevation above the earth's surface.
2. any similar mass, esp. of smoke or dust.
3. a dim or obscure area in something otherwise clear or transparent.
4. a patch or spot differing in color from the surrounding surface.
5. anything that obscures or darkens something, or causes gloom, trouble, suspicion, disgrace, etc.
6. a great number of insects, birds, etc., flying together: a cloud of locusts obscuring the sun.
–verb (used with object)
7. to overspread or cover with, or as with, a cloud or clouds: The smoke from the fire clouded the sun from view.
8. to overshadow; obscure; darken: The hardships of war cloud his childhood memories.
9. to make gloomy.
10. (of distress, anxiety, etc.) to reveal itself in (a part of one's face): Worry clouded his brow.
11. to make obscure or indistinct; confuse: Don't cloud the issue with unnecessary details.
12. to place under suspicion, disgrace, etc.
13. to variegate with patches of another color.
–verb (used without object)
14. to grow cloudy; become clouded.
15. (of a part of one's face) to reveal one's distress, anxiety, etc.: His brow clouded with anger.
—Idioms
16. in the clouds,
a. in a condition of absent-mindedness; lost in reverie.
b. impractical: Their schemes are usually up in the clouds.
17. on a cloud, Informal. exceedingly happy; in high spirits: On the night of the prom the seniors were on a cloud.
18. under a cloud, in disgrace; under suspicion: After going bankrupt he left town under a cloud.

—Related forms
cloudlike, adjective

—Synonyms vapor, swarm, horde, multitude, throng, host, crowd, army, CLOUD, FOG, HAZE, MIST differ somewhat in their figurative uses. CLOUD connotes esp. daydreaming: His mind is in the clouds. FOG and HAZE connote esp. bewilderment or confusion: to go around in a fog (haze). MIST has an emotional connotation and suggests tears: a mist in one's eyes, muddle, distort.

I am so glad that Iris chose this quote for those who participate in the Christian Women Online IOW meme to meditate on. I can identify with that quote so readily right now.

I so long to just be able to sit at the feet of Jesus, ready to absorb His teachings and love him with the unfettered, uncluttered, uninhibited, truly pure and innocent way of a child. In a normal world, children know nothing of guile or malice or the day to day problems that we, as adults, face. They celebrate with unrestrained jubilation. Their world is full of laughter, and enjoyment and love. Uncomplicated and unmarred by stress or doubt. How I long to be able to just go to Him without all the cares that weigh upon me, that drag me down, that keep me stressed lately.

Instead I find myself curled at His feet, with a torn heart full of sadness and sometimes despair, full of worry, doubt, depression and disappointment. Even when I start out with the best of intentions to just go into His presence with joy, how quickly the cares of this world seem to crowd in and cast their shadow on what should be a beautiful worship experience. Instead of my thoughts and my being focusing on the fellowship that should be created between my Savior and myself, I find myself asking Him questions about why certain things in my life are happening, why I find myself so frustrated by certain events – or non-events as it so happens. Sometimes I find myself coming away with no answers at all, which only serves to further frustrate me.

And really, it's not the worries and cares so much that are the issue, it is, well to be honest, my frustration and disappointment with God's timing. I don't like waiting, I don't understand God's timing at this point in my life and while I try to be patient and wait for His answer, admittedly it's very hard right now. I'm not struggling with my faith – that isn't the problem. My faith is probably stronger than it's ever been really. It's the waiting that I'm struggling with. Like a child waiting for their birthday or Christmas, it's the impatience that I am having a problem with. But there is an issue currently in my life that, as more time goes by without an answer or solution to the situation, the more I seem to focus on it instead of on Him. It's a secular human trait and I find myself being more human than I'd like to be lately.

I should really take to heart the song that my daughter sings. My life would be a lot more stress-free if I did, and then maybe I can finally come to Him with that pure and true love, without expectations, without those shadows.

I cast all my cares upon You
I lay all of my burdens down at Your feet
And anytime I don't know wha-at to do
I will cast all my cares upon You

Really, it is the trick of Satan to try and use our every day worries to keep us from a true worship and fellowship with our Creator. He is the lion prowling and waiting to devour those who are not vigilant and alert to his schemes. You can not think on your worries and fully be brought into the presence of God.

We can become weary when waiting on God to give us the desires of our heart and because we don't feel that He is meeting our human expectations. God has promised us peace and perfect rest for those who abide in Him. He has promised to carry our burdens, but we have to lay them down first and give them over to Him. As a friend of mind wrote to me last month – there is no better porter to carry our baggage than Jesus. Sometimes we get so weary from the burdens we carry that all we can do is fall at His feet and let Him lift us up into His lap and cradle us like a small child. It is then that we become totally dependant on Him, and that is what He has wanted of us all along.

We should bring our cares, our worries, our hurts, our disappointments to Him and let Him take care of them in HIS timing instead of trying to make things happen in OUR timing. God's timing is neither early nor late. God's timing is perfect and He has His reasons for the delays in our life. But sometimes I just wish He would hurry up a little and I know that is the human part of me talking. And as a human I am prone to bad calls, errors, second-guesses and self-doubts. God has never had any of those. God is and always will be perfect. He will always be the keeper of our hearts, the bringer of our desires and the fulfiller of our dreams when we just let go and trust Him.

Easier said than done sometimes, but I think I'm getting there. That's why I love doing these writing exercises with my other Sisters of Faith. Many times I go into writing on the quote with questions in my heart and I come out with the answers I was looking for when I am done or at least find myself on a better path of understanding God's will and what He is trying to teach me.

Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

1 Peter 5:6-8 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety (cares) on Him because He cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.