I’ve been frustrated lately because it feels like I have been praying for certain things to happen for what seems like forever, yet they haven’t happened. Or maybe there has been a glimmer of hope but then it fades and everything stays the same and I can’t understand why God won’t just answer my prayers right now— after all, I am praying for good things to happen! Has anyone else felt this way??
But being the good Father He is, He stopped me in my whining and corrected me. He told me that He is not a genie in a bottle and that this is not a “snap my fingers and make my wishes” relationship that I have with Him. He is God Almighty. The God of the universe. Time does not restrict Him because He is outside of time. He has seen the beginning and the end and just because He is not working in my tiny, little, human timeframe, it doesn’t mean that He is not working on my behalf.
And, because He knows the root of my fear, He reminded me that just because my prayers aren’t answered right away, it doesn’t mean that I am forgotten by Him. In fact, He is with me in the wait. He is holding me close and fighting battles that I didn’t even know existed while giving me an opportunity to know Him deeper.
I’ve learned that waiting isn’t just sitting around and twiddling my thumbs— it’s active. It is hopeful anticipation, looking with expectation, and it’s a space where the Father can do some deep heart work.
I think the Father uses the wait to prepare our hearts, to heal our wounds, and to draw us closer to Him. It reminds me of Joseph’s story in Genesis. Joseph had big prophetic dreams but it took a looooong time for those to come to pass. The journey was long and hard and full of trials, yet God was with Joseph every step of the way– looking out for him, speaking to him, and giving him favor with those around him. And when Joseph finally became second in command in all of Egypt, he wasn’t the same eager and prideful boy that shared his dreams with his brothers all those years ago. God had used that time to work on Joseph’s heart. Even though the journey looked different that Joseph expected, God turned every trial and bad situation around for the good of not only Joseph, but his whole family.
It may be hard and (very) uncomfortable, but I’ve found that I am thankful for the wait because it makes me lean on the one who has all the answers and eternity in His hands. I know He hasn’t forgotten me and that when the time is right, He will make it happen. He knows the end from the beginning, and I just have to surrender my right to know and trust Him in the wait.
-Natasha A.