A Little While

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty." Haggai 2:6-9

When I was a little girl one phrase that I rarely enjoyed hearing was ‘In a little while.’ I would get so irritated to hear that because it lacked any new information. What I sought, was never found with that short answer. It seemed that my world was controlled with those four little words. Although frustrated, I trusted my parents that what they promised would be received. They had proven themselves over and over again.

I have a promise from God tucked deeply in my heart. Year after year I hear His whispers, ‘In a little while.’ When I see nothing on the horizon that looks even remotely like a hint of the fulfillment, I run back to Him, pulling on His hem asking, ‘Now, Father?’ Like my parents, He never ignores me nor tires of my question. He knows that I am confident that with Him, promises made are promises kept. There have been other times when He has shaken heaven and earth and filled my circumstances with His glory and peace. The beautiful words that follow ‘in a little while’ couldn’t be more encouraging. Those words…’once again’…anchor my soul and remind me that what I am waiting on now has already been done by Him in the past. He is able…capable…faithful...unstoppable…when the proper time is revealed.

What ‘in a little while’ situation are you facing? Is it a reconciled marriage? Is it a new job? Is it a prodigal child? Is it a cure? I know that when the heart is aching and the journey gets long, a day can feel like a year. ‘What might seem to us as God dragging His feet about a promise is actually a reflection of His patience and plan. We need to keep this in mind so we don’t get discouraged…impatient…exhausted of doing good…of building and rebuilding. Some fruit takes a long time to grow and show. However, that doesn’t mean the seeds you planted are not taking root.’ Take Courage, Jennifer Rothschild, p. 128-129. Because we can fully trust God’s future promises on past fulfillments our answer is ‘when and not ‘if.’

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Ga 6:9