Who Said It
Peter Scazzaro

Peter Scazzaro is the founding pastor of New Life Fellowship Church in Queens, New York—a large congregation representing at least 65 nationalities. Out of his pastoring successes and failures, Pete, along with his wife Geri, embarked on a journey, 13 years ago, of integrating emotional health and biblical spirituality. The results radically transformed New Life Fellowship, and led Pete to launch their Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, and write an award-winning book.

What He Said
Jumping the Gun

If I were to identify my greatest sins and errors of judgment in the last 30 years of following Christ, they'd each go back to a failure to wait on the Lord. From finishing people's sentences to starting new daughter churches too quickly, I've struggled to wait upon the Lord.

God, I believe, took drastic action to purge out of me my deep, stubborn willfulness to run ahead of Him. He's breaking something deep within me—that driving, grasping, fearful self-will that must produce, that must make something happen, that must get it done for God (just in case He doesn't).

What does it truly mean when we read, "Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord" (Psalm 27:14) or, "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord" (Psalm 130:5-6 NIV)? While I kick and scream, God slowly teaches me to wait, creating in me a greater capacity to wait upon Him.

Adapted from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (Integrity, 2006) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Teach me, Lord, to leash in my drive to make things happen and wait expectantly for Your move.

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