Wait? For Who?!?!

Guess Blogger: Indigo

I saw a quote by Julie Ackerman today. It read: Not receiving an immediate answer to prayer is no reason to give up faith.

The quote made me think of a conversation I had w/ an acquaintance a few weeks ago. She’s a 40-year old, divorced, mother of three, who is trying to convince herself that God has left her to fend for herself in the area of finding a husband. “I have just accepted the fact that no man worth anything is going to want a 40-year old woman with 3-kids, when he can go out here and get a 30-year old w/ none.” She told me that her husband left her for someone he was having an affair with at work and although it was painful, she granted him a divorce and moved on.

Shortly after the divorce, she found Christ and has been on fire for Him ever since. She said, “That was 10-years ago. For seven of those years, I have remained celibate…waiting on God for my husband; with no success.” She told me that she is living for God in every area of her life and she doesn’t understand why THIS area has been such a failure for her. She said, “At first, I had standards. Now, I’m like, ok…he doesn’t have a job right now, but he is looking for a job and at least he wants to get married.“

I tried to encourage her. I told her how valuable she is in God’s eyes and that no matter how grim it appears, God has her back and would never require her to settle. I told her that the enemy is planting doubt in her heart b/c of the man God has for her is going to take her whole family to a new dimension in Christ. After our talk, I even prayed with her; after which she said, “Yeah I guess. I’ve prayed that same prayer and I’m still single.” She was giggling but obviously not open to receive God using me in that moment.

So today, when I saw the quote above, it took me back to that conversation and made me ask, Why is waiting on God such a challenge for us? We’ll wait 2-hours to get on a rollercoaster. We’ll wait 8-hours to get our hair braided. We’ll wait days to see if our Powerball number hits. We wait weeks to hear back from jobs we interview for. We’ll wait months for the doctor to tell us if we’re having a girl or a boy. Although it can be challenging to wait for many of these indiscriminate things in our lives, WE DO IT!! But, when it comes time for us to wait on the Lord, we give Him ultimatums. Isaiah 30:18 — Blessed are those who wait for Him. Instead of focusing on His ultimate plan for our lives in the moment and gaining knowledge He’s trying to impart in us…learning the lessons He’s trying to teach us… WE STOP WAITING and do things in our limited wisdom & strength. This makes me angry with the enemy and how WE ALLOW him to prey on us. Listen, being angry at God won’t expedite your situation. It will only exacerbate it. God hasn’t forgotten you, but He is simply NOT on your personal schedule. He is GOD, remember?

Waiting proves our faith. It builds endurance. Change your state of mind. Stop looking at waiting like it means wasting away. Be productive while you wait. Get closer to God and His Word. Allow the wait to mold you into a better Christian and a more grateful person.

Hebrews 6:13-15 –When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.