Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Waiting Game


No ear heard, no eye seen, a God like you who works for those who wait for him.” Isaiah 64:4, The Message

I remember back in the early 1990’s Bruce and a team at work were being considered to relocate to Australia.  Of course, this meant the families would also follow.  The kids were 10, 5 and 2 at the time and I was desperately and secretly trying to pay off a huge debt I accrued.  I discovered that Bruce would receive a rather large bonus for relocating.  I saw this at a way to pay off our debt and have a fresh start.  I began desperately praying for the contract to go through so my problem would be solved.  At the time I took care of the finances while Bruce was working hard to build his career.  But God knew what motivation was ruling my heart and fueling my prayer.  He wanted more for me than just to get out of the trouble in which I found myself.  He wanted the same thing I wanted…for the debt to be gone…but He wanted the heart work to also be done.  So, I didn’t get the answer to my prayer in the way I wanted but Bruce did discover my little secret.  Sometimes, we don’t get answered prayers because there is transforming work that needs to be done in our lives.  In addition, only God was aware of what would be experienced by our family over in Australia, and the impact it would have had on our lives.  I’m so thankful He didn’t answer that prayer!

I sit here with a desire in my heart this morning awaiting the fulfillment of something God promised me over a decade ago.  Over the past 14 years, He has worked on my heart and changed my focus from the fulfilled promise to the Promise-maker.  I am confident of the statement from Charles Stanley that I read this morning in his devotional.  Sometimes people require fresh spiritual insight before their hands are ready to hold what their hearts desire.’ God Acts on Our Behalf, Charles Stanley.   I fully believe that I’m not spiritually ready to hold what my heart wants.    

We all have desires and dreams tucked deeply in our hearts waiting on God to act.  God fully understands our motivation for what we want and knows the impact on which it will have in our lives.  God invites us to dream big and to ask for whatever is in our hearts, but we must hold our desires loosely and give God the freedom to act in His way and one His timetable.  If we haven’t received what we desperately want but it aligns with His will, then it isn’t the designated time to be given His best.  Most times, while we are waiting on God He is waiting on us!

Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!" Luke 1:45


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