Waiting...

Isaiah 40:31 "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."


     Have you ever prayed for something so hard, and felt that God wasn't answering? Maybe you were seeking direction or wisdom on a decision, but no matter how hard you prayed, you did not receive an answer. I have had this experience many times throughout my life, and it has taught me one of the hardest lessons to learn, Waiting.

     No one wants to wait! We get frustrated when the drive-thru takes more than 5 minutes, or when 3 people are in front of us in line at Target. Our world operates at a high speed, and we have grown accustomed to that speed in our own lives. Even the dry cleaners that I went to today offers same day service. As long as the clothes are in the door by 9:00 am, I can pick them up after 5:00 pm. We have learned to schedule every minute of our day and rarely leave any wiggle room! However, our heavenly Father has His own version of time, and it is so much more calculated than we could ever fathom. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that God's timing does not revolve around us, but instead we revolve around God's timing.

    When we pray we often ask for an immediate answer, or expect one within 24 hours. Sometimes, we think He works like the dry cleaners. As long as we get our prayers into Him by 9:00 am, we should have an answer by 5:00pm that night. Yet, nowhere in Scripture did God ever promise us a 24-hour turn around. However, he does promise to hear our prayers. 1 John 5:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. Sometimes His answer is yes, sometimes it is no, and often times it is to wait and trust.

    Genesis 22:2  "Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him." I am sure Sarah spent many nights wondering if God remembered His promise to them. I can't imagine what she thought as year after year went by without a son. She and Abraham waited for 25 years before God gave them a Isaac. Abraham probably never imagined having a newborn after his 100th birthday, but God had a bigger plan than Sarah or Abraham could have ever dreamed. He kept His promise and they were blessed because of their wait.            

"The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." Lamentations3:25-26



     If you are seeking an answer from Him today, and have not received it yet, do not give up. Take comfort in Isaiah 40:31! He is not ignoring you. He will answer you when He is ready. While you are waiting, continue to seek His answer, and use this time to grow and strengthen your relationship with Him. 

Remember, He created time. He doesn't need us to tell Him how to use it.

Photography by Kimberly Wynn