Divine Delays- Part 1

“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.” Ps. 62:5 (KJV)

I know a little something about waiting on the Lord and I have a hunch that you do too. No matter the season of life, He seems to give us countless opportunities to wait on Him. Waiting for circumstances to change. Waiting for God to heal a broken situation. Waiting for the Lord to fulfill a dream. Waiting for a miracle. During those long, hard seasons our beliefs about God bubble to the surface and questions attack our theology. Is God good? Have I sinned in a way that will keep Him from blessing me even though I have repented? How long will I have to wait? What if what I am waiting for isn’t a part of His will for me?

Ps. 62:5 penetrates to the heart of the matter when we are facing a season of waiting. Are we trusting the Lord or are we consumed with our situation?  We know that God is sovereign and could change our circumstances in a blink. When He chooses not to, however, we have two choices: to become disillusioned and hopeless or choose to enroll in God’s school of “wait training.”

I believe there are secret, hidden things that God teaches us when we are fully surrendered to the waiting. In that place, we learn that He is enough. We learn that we should not compare our journey with someone else’s. We learn that His grace is sufficient. We learn to cling to His promises like never before. Whether we believe it at the time, waiting can be a gift. When we embrace it and surrender to the Lord, we can begin to claim something my friend Marian Jordan Ellis shared recently: “Lord, don’t give me what I want. Give me your best.” Only a surrendered heart has the courage to believe His best is worth waiting for.

The greatest waiting test for me came during a heartbreaking season of infertility.  I had always expected to have as many children as I “wanted” and then be able to call the shots when my quiver was full. The Lord had other plans- three specialists, four surgeries, countless blood tests, procedures, a miscarriage. It all felt like an out-of-body experience. I kept thinking “this isn’t really my life, is it?” I felt alone and helpless, yet as I trudged through that valley the Lord continued to show me His love in countless ways including praying friends and family, a steadfast husband and friendships with women who were walking the same hard road.

I don’t know if you are facing a season of waiting today, but I can almost guarantee it will be a part of your story at some point.  I am sorry for the pain you may be experiencing; however, the word expectation in this verse is so loaded with hope! When we are expectant, we are eager to see the Lord reveal himself in our situation and we are confident that He is up to something, ultimately, for our good and His glory. Remain expectant in this season of waiting; God is not finished yet.   ~Courtney*

*For more about  how Courtney’s story of trusting God for a child is unfolding, come back for Part 2 of Divine Delays this Friday, 2/28.

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