While I’m Waiting…

If you are joining me today from Proverbs 31 Ministries’s Encouragement for Today, welcome! I am so glad you’ve come!

Waiting…I have yet to meet a person who actually likes to wait! Yesterday, Mariah and I sat in the waiting room of the dermatologist. After only 10 minutes, I heard a very deep sigh. “What’s wrong?” Through gritted teeth she informed me, “I have so much homework I need to get to!” Waiting…

I bet like me, there is something you are waiting on God for. I am…waiting for my children to seize the truth that God’s way is the best way…every time.  As I watch them struggle through trying to figure out life, every fiber of my being wants to take control and live it for them. I’ve already been there, right? Even though I know they have to work out their faith on their own, I squirm inside my skin, wanting to fix this and do that for them.

What’s a girl to do while she’s waiting if she can’t fix it?

Our church is in the middle of a series called Waiting Room…how timely! This past Sunday, Holly Furtick, said this principal:

What seems like a pointless or painful waiting room maybe God’s most important work room. 

She encouraged us, that while we are in the waiting room, resist the urge to complain and fill our situation with praise just like Paul and Silas did while in the jail (Acts 16:15). They used the time of waiting for God to move as a time to preoccupy themselves with fulfilling God’s purpose instead of trying to figure out a way to escape their problem.

I’m so guilty of wasting time trying to figure out how to solve my problem. How can I influence my kids the most? What books can I buy? What conversation can I instigate?

Maybe you do this with your problem. How can I meet a Christian guy; I’ve waited so long! What can I do to get more attention at work; snagging that promotion? How can I get my husband’s eyes off the tv and on me?

The problem with this, as Holly pointed out, is the thing we’re waiting for is a moving target! As soon as we get that thing, we begin waiting for the next thing! We get married, we want children. We get that promotion; we’re already looking at the next.

Let’s grasp a hold of the fact that the waiting may actually be the destination. The place we are in is the place God wants us to be. God wants me in a place where I have to depend on the Holy Spirit to do the work in my kid’s lives; it grows my dependence and faith too! This is the time and place to develop my prayer life and listening ears so that when the Holy Spirit opens the doors to use me, their hearts are ready and I am too!

Are you’re teen kids you’re waiting room? If so, join me each week for my “Wednesday Wisdom Tips”! Just click on the box above to begin receiving them straight to your email!

What are you waiting on God for? How can you be “working” while you are waiting?

Lynn

27 Comments

  1. Charlotte Adjepon-Yamoah says:

    Lynn,
    Thank you very much for today’s message. I honestly feel you are speaking to me. I am waiting on the Lord for a Christian husband and I feel I have waited for just too long.
    I pray that the Lord continues to prepare me for that persona and prepares that person for me.
    Thank you and God bless you.
    Yours in waiting on the Lord,

    Charlotte

    1. Charlotte – if you are seeking and obeying, He is preparing you! He is never late…only on time!

  2. Thank you for this post. Waiting has been heavy on my heart lately as I am 30 and single. I believe there is someone meant for me out there but lately it has been more difficult waiting when I see friends and loved ones happily married with families. Thank you for posting this today it has been a prayer in my heart lately and reading this has helped.

    1. Lois, I am so sorry friend. I am glad today’s devotion has helped. He has not forgotten you. He has a hope and a future for you! Jeremiah 29:11

    2. This is beautiful. There is hope in the wantiig. Don’t miss out on the beauty of becoming, the aching beauty of the silence, as you wait. God has promised and planned. It is worth the wait – and sometimes, it is in the wantiig itself that we discover just what it is we are wantiig for. ~ Yes, this.

  3. Thank you for this devotional today. I needed it. I’m waiting, not so patiently sometimes, for my son to return to the Lord and have a purpose in his life. It’s the hardest thing i’ve ever had to do. Thank you for the scriptures that lead me to wait on the Lord.

    1. Janetta, I relate wholeheartedly with you! We have to trust that the same God that created them is the same God who loves them enough to draw them to Himself! He will do it; He is faithful!

  4. I was a loser magnet when it came to men, dating, and relationships. During a sermon the pastor said, “water and oil do not mix.” I realized at that moment that I was the problem, I was attracting losers because I had low expectations and, being a fatherless daughter, I didn’t see myself as God saw me. I was 22 and a brand new Christian, just rescued from a debauched life that would have ultimately killed me. I figured God knew way more about men then I did and that he had a perfect mate out there for me.

    So I swore off men and started observing the relationships around me, taking notes as to what I wanted in my God appointed marriage and what I did not want. I even made a list of 12 specific things that I wanted in my future spouse. I remember being so lonely and desperate for my future husband, but that list kept me from settling as I had in the past. I had a friend who told me I was too picky and would be alone forever. I decided it was better to be alone then in a relationship without God’s blessing.

    Fast forward five (5) years. I had given up on the mate thing and decided I would be single forever. I got accepted to UCLA and I was on my way to fulfilling MY dreams. Record scratch: Enter God’s plan for me: Zachary. We were married within two (2) months. We celebrated our 10 year anniversary last November and have two beautiful daughters. God made me choose between his plan, Zachary, and my plan, UCLA. I chose God’s plan, even though my fellow humans told me I was being an idiot, and you know what God’s plan rocked.

    Zach is a wonderful husband who meets everyone of those 12 requirements. Which came in handy that first year of getting to know each other and living together. When I wanted to walk-out (I have anger issues) I would review the list and it would renew my faith in God’s will and my determination to work through the rough patches.

    So ladies, don’t settle, wait for God but keep busy. Don’t let the devil attack you with doubts when you are walking in step with the Lord! Lonely is way better then being emotionally devastated because you settled and married an unfaithful man!

    1. LOVE IT LOVE IT Rachel! Thank you so much for your encouragement today!

  5. I needed to hear this “word from God” today. My husband was laid off 9 months ago. We thought we would visit family and see part of the country God provided another job. In preparation for moving to a new job, we had sold our house and were renting. So we packed up and went on the road. It was great in the beginning. But it as been hard on us… My husband had pneumonia and I have been in bed with my back for five weeks. (I think the back thing was to keep me out of trouble since I have tried to help God on more than one occasion.) 225+ resume submittals, thousands of miles traveled …. I’m ready to be settled! I have been frustrated and doubted that God cared about our situation. But through your devotional, God has reminded me of all the years He has taken care of me and my family. I am once afaik resting in His arms. I started out last year trusting that God had a plan, but in the back of my mind I thought I had it figured out. So now I realize God’s plan is so much better for me and though I have tried to remind God that He has put me in a life that does revolve time, I will do my best to relax and wait because ultimately His timing is BEST.

  6. Oh, Lynn, what perfect timing your devotion was for me today! My husband and I have been walking a very loooooong journey of unemployment (over a year). We have seen God supply in some amazing ways and although my husband is applying for job after job after job, no offers come. We are trusting and believing and doing all we know to do, but now many around us are doubting and beginning to tell us what they think we should do. I grabbed the encouragement from your devotion today to wait and trust in what God has for our family rather than step out on what we feel pressure from others to do. Thank you so much for your words. HE used you today to speak to my heart : )

    1. Jesus, there are so many who are waiting for employment. YOU own the cattle on a thousand hills Jesus! You are rich. Open doors for these who love you to receive your riches. If there are steps they can and need to take, help them to see and give them the strength to take those steps. While they wait, may they work to learn trust and perseverance. Amen

  7. A timely message for sure! But I struggle so with the waiting, as it is becoming so heavy on my heart. My 44 yr old husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer last August. Waiting for biopsy results, waiting for surgery, waiting for blood test results. Now, with evidence they didn’t get all the cancer in the surgery, waiting to find out if they can do radiation or not due to the placement of his transplanted kidney he received 18 yrs ago. This could determine whether or not and how much treatment he can get. Then there will be more waiting on results afterward. I just don’t see an end to it all. Now there will always be waiting and worrying and I am physically, emotionally and spiritually exhausted. God has been faithful, I know. After months of praying, he provided assistance for next year with our daughter’s tuition at the christian school she has been at since kindergarten. PTL! I just need His strength on an hourly basis to get through.

  8. I can tell you that God’s timing is amazing. It all happened last week. I had a part-time with Cardinal Fitness still searching a full-time job which finally did happen on April 2nd. Thank heavens. I attended a Bible Study end celebration that evening what a way to celebrate. However, when I got home I received a call from Cardinal Fitness that all the employees are being laid off including me. (Company calls it terminating- very sad term). On top of that I exhausted all my unemployment benefits that same week. All I could say thank you thank you thank thank you God and it was the week of the Holy Week and Easter. I actually cried tears of joy during the Mass because I felt so overwhelming gratitude. Just pray and take one time a day and make it the best you can and Trust in God. Trust me it’s not easy, I still have many things to work on especially my fearful thinkin and I just have to say “Stop it Girl” yes to myself outloud. I really need to be thankful to God because you never know what can happen. So pray do your best for today is a gift from God.

    Thank you to everyone for your prayers, hugs, encouragement, support, and just listening me to vent. I say a prayer of thankgiving for all of you.

  9. To all of you who have been experiencing unemployment, please know that God does provide and has a plan. My husband was laid off 4 yrs ago from a major homebuilder when the housing market crashed. I saw our lives as we knew it flash before my eyes. At that time, it wasn’t a pretty picture. I thought how in the world are we going to make it. We had so many bills and now with the loss of his income I just didn’t see a way. God did though. We were fortunate enough to have money in his 401k that we were able to roll over into an IRA. This is how we have kept our house. Each month I call and have the money pulled out of the IRA to cover our house payment. Not fun, but we still have our roof over our head. We had an RV that we had to let go back. This was very hard for us as we were raised that if you make a debt you pay it. We also have a lot of credit card debt that we haven’t been able to pay. The Bible tells us that God will provide our NEEDS; not our wants but food, clothing, shelter which are needs. There have been so many times over the past 4 years where we have had $35 that would have to last us a week, but amazingly enough something would happen, my husband would mow a yard, etc. and we would get in a little bit of money that we were able to put with that $35 and even more amazing is that during that week, no one really needed anything. Going through the emotions of dealing with two daughters, husband’s job loss and being wired to make sure everything is good and running smoothly while dad is wired to provide but can’t see his worth based on the past circumstances = a very tired, frustrated and worn out mom. But, God has always been there for me. I can’t rant and rave or sit down and cry and He is always there. Once I go through that then I am able to pull myself up by my bootstraps and move forward. About 2 weeks ago, my husband got a new job and while it isn’t paying what we would like it is a steady 40 hr per week job that actually has mandatory overtime. He has worked for the past 2 1/2 yrs with a guy that owned a paint and body shop but he didn’t have a set number of hours. One week he would work 20 hrs and the next week would be 30 hrs and the following week could be a vacation week. Over the course of this past time, God has provided. Now, we will actually have 40 hours that we can budget with which is something we haven’t had. I am looking forward to the future because I know that God has a plan and that when we let Him drive the bus things work out so much better than we could ever imagine. I will leave with this: about a year and half ago I had a death of someone I had been close to growing up. My mom and I travelled for the funeral and at the family meal, the pastor of the church was sitting with us. My mom was talking with people she knew and the pastor was talking with me. He was asking the general questions such as where do you live, etc. I explained about my husband and how it has been hard but I wouldn’t trade it for anything because it has made us become better stewards and we have learned so much about to budget, etc. The pastor puts down his fork and turns and looks me directly in they eye and says, “Sometimes we go through situations for a long period of time because God wants to make sure we are able to handle the blessings we are going to receive.” Wow! It was a true word spoken from the Lord himself. We have still so far to go with getting out of debt, but I have been through the fire and I know that He has taken care of us in the past and I know He is going to take care of us in the future. Moral of this story, surrender completely and totally to the Lord and let His will not yours be done. It turns out so much better in the end.

    1. Thank you so much for the encouragement Stacey!

    2. Heather P says:

      Three years ago in September my husband (primary breadwinner) lost his job. We were on unemployment for nearly a year, when he went to school for a new career. God got us through that and blessed him with a job. Last September the business went bankrupt and he was without a job again. He found another job in October that promised not to go bankrupt. Well, 6 months later, all employees lost their job because of the business owners decision to do something else, We are back on unemployment and my husband is going back to school again. As much as I have learned through all of this, I still find myself asking the same questions. But I am still learning that God is in control and I am to trust Him fully! See my post for more information.

  10. Kayla Hall says:

    I am 23 years old, have an amazing, amazing, husband, and just graduated with my B.S. this past December. I have been raised my entire life knowing the order things are suppose to take place in my life, high school, college/marriage, full time job, babies eventually, so on and so forth…I feel like I have done everything right. I made great grades in High School, Graduated top of my class in college, have such an amazing husband, but no job. I have been applying so many places, and the only job I can contain is a part time position at the local YMCA, which won’t promote me because they are scared to lose me where I am at. We are also the part time/volunteer youth pastors at our church. We don’t love youth ministry, but we love youth, we know how God can use them, and we enjoy teaching them and seeing them grow. I honestly feel like more of a failure each time I hear about someone even going to their full time job. Why can’t I find a job? I have so much to offer. I am for sure in the waiting/working room. Thanks for the encouragement, it helps to have a biblical view of what I am going through. God is faithful, and I know He always has something up His sleeve.

  11. Lynn, loved your devo on P31 today! What insight to realize God gives us gifts at His perfect timing. This really spoke to me today. Thank you!

  12. I read your daily devotion today and it home. I was married for a while and had a miscarriage. Many years went by and I couldn’t get pregnant, I tried adoption, it didn’t work out. Finally my little sister said she would carry a baby for me, all my siblings had children except me. I was so happy finally I would have a child, the only thing I felt was missing in my life to make me feel completely happy. Then, all of a sudden I had this feeling inside of me, like if God himself was telling me “Don’t do this, you will be altering my wishes”. I struggled with this dicision. Finally, I made the very difficult dicision (for me) not to go through with my sister’s offer. When I was married eighteen and a half years, I went to get pre-op test before surgery, to my surprise, I was 4 months pregnant and had no idea. On my 19 anniversary, I had a beautiful baby girl! I am so glad I waited until my heavenly Father felt it was time for our gift. I just had to share.

    In His Service

    Irma Nazario

  13. Heather P says:

    While I am waiting on my husband to get where he needs to be, I am learning to trust God more and my husband less.That may sound strange, but only God can provide what I really need in all aspects of life. Not my husband or my dad. Oh, what we learn in the waiting room!

  14. I got the worst yeast infect I have ever had this week and it jump to my hands. I am left handed and the rash is all over. I know that diet, weather, water intake, stress all take a part in this thing…but I have to realize I am in the place God wants me to be? Yes. I know that is true. It is forcing my family to do things for me and I am not even able to type much, because that hurts too. please pray for me.

  15. Wow Lynn,
    God used this devotional to remind me that He is never late and always on time. I just started my email subscription, and now know that it was just in time to hear this! I am waiting. Waiting for a Godly husband, a job promotion, children to finally leave the nest, and it has been a long time coming! Yet, he loves me enough to remind me personally, that he hasn’t forgotten. Thank you for letting Him use you! I am strengthened by your testimony!
    Sandi

  16. I have been struggling with what I thought was a heart condition for three years. After giving birth in 2008, 2009, and then again in 2010, my heart was really bothering me. I saw many doctors and was told my heart was healthy structurally, however I may have some circuitry issues that could be ablated. I was 23 at the time and the thought of having any form of heart surgery terrified me. I prayed about it and felt like God wa saying not to go through with it (the doctors had assured me that it wasn’t a fatal heart issue).

    Fast forward to a few months back…. My heart began bothering me severely one day, I was lightheaded, and my arm was numb. I was TERRIFIED!!! I had my husband carry me to the ER thinking I was having a heart attack. After several hours of sitting in the ER I was determined healthy. But, I knew something was not right. I followed up with my internist three days later who thought it was generalized anxiety disorder. But, I knew in my heart something wasn’t right. So, I began doing my own research and was led to a website about POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), a form of dysautonomia. I was reading about my own life!!! I made an appointment with my cardiologist and he confirmed it, I had POTS. POTS is similar to other auto immune issues in that it comes in flares. So, I may be completely normal for a few weeks or longer and then sick for a week or two. God is teaching me to WAIT patiently during my flares. POTS is not fatal, it just feels like it at times. So, I ask for your prayers to help me wait patiently for my flares to end and while I am waiting pray I am joyful and cast all my cares and worries to Him!!!!

    In His Love
    Mandy

  17. Hi Lynn, wow, that was good. God has been teaching me about waiting as well. I learned something interesting about the word “wait”. The Hebrew translation mrans to linger…so instead of waiting in misery, why not linger with God to see what He has in store? I write devotions as well and this was going to be the topic for an upcoming one. Thanks for the encouragement. I especially liked the part about Paul and Silas 🙂

  18. Excellent post, Lynn. There is so much for us in the waiting. So many good points. How we can truly be hurt by rushing and pushing past God’s perfect timing. How the waiting shouldn’t be wasted and be the destination where God can meet us and do His work. And how to let go and trust. I am often in the stage of wanting “things” to move more quickly…my children’s faith journeys, my ministry development, my book. Oh so many “mys.” That’s surely one of the problems. More of His less of mine!

  19. So many great thoughts on waiting. My husband and I have decided we have to live like Abraham. 2 years ago we knew God was saying “Go” we just didn’t know where. That where ended up being Florida, to the church and school I grew up at. What a blessing to reaquaint with friends from my childhood. I am now teaching in that school, which my dad began when I was only 6. What plans God has for us when we are willing to wait or go when he says go.
    We now are again trying to live like Abraham. My husband’s job seems to be looking at relocation again. This time seems to be harder to wait because we can’t make definate plans for high school for our son? and should I continue to teach? and everything is “Wait and see.” But remembering Abraham and being faithful for “today” we know God has “tomorrow” already figured out, we just have to wait to get there.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.