Waiting On God - Apt 1223

 

Recently I saw this posted on Face Book: "Then God said, I heard your prayers, Now trust my timing."

A comment below that statement  read, "I love this but hard to do sometimes!" This touched my heart because I too have prayed, waited for an answer from God, but the longer I waited the more difficult it became to believe God was even hearing me. Today I want to address the subject, WAITING ON GOD.

Jesus never promised our lives wouldn’t have pain or hardship. He spoke just the opposite: “In this world, you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world” John 16:33 (NIV). We live in a fallen world, we can’t escape suffering and painful situations.  Then there’s that pesky free will that takes us out of God’s wonderful plan.  But He never forgets about us.  And He always promises us hope. “But those who wait on 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” (Isaiah 40:31) NKJV. God’s timing isn’t just great, it’s perfect! He never gets exhausted from the work of being God or slows down His pace. He certainly is never powerless to change our situation! Instead, we have this great promise that if we wait on God’s timing, He will give us the power and strength to better understand and work with His perspective. I know that relying on my own power and strength to live in this world fails me.  I’ll take God’s strength and power any day! Working within His timing lets us put the faith we profess into practice.

We have to trust God’s Plan. I love this reminder from Paul about Jesus, “For in Him, all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him.  He is before all things, and in Him, all things hold together” Colossians 1:16-17(NIV). Jesus is our sovereign King. He was before all things in time and creation.  He holds all things together. We can trust His plans and timing. When we feel tempted to say, “Are you there Lord?"(and I have) know that He sees you, knows what you need, and loves you.

But how do we trust Gods timing you ask?

1. Wait.  When we feel in a hurry to move forward or decide that we can’t trust His timing, remember the words of Psalm 27:14: “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” The entirety of Psalm 27 is David’s confident prayer when he was in trouble.  It speaks of his faith in waiting for his light, his salvation, and his stronghold- his God!

2. Pray like David about your situation. Hand it over to God and wait for him to show you the path to take. Declare Him to be your stronghold and to keep you in His safe-keeping. Have you heard the saying “Let Go and Let God?” Giving it to God and trusting in Him will see you through.

3.Make it a habit to trust in Him each day; one day at a time. “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation” Psalm 68:19 (NKJV.)

Every day He loads us with His benefits: mercies, kindness, protection, and provisions. He shows His love and cares for us day after day, without limits! Not just when we need it, but daily. He has promised this to us. Trust Him when He says He will give you these things.  Actively watch for His benefits to manifest themselves in your life. Believe BEFORE you receive. Remember His past provisions and protections for you.

I believe it also helps to keep a prayer journal to remind yourself of answered prayers from the past. We have short memories.  We sometimes forget how He guided us through the hard times. Continue to Walk in Faith “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” Proverbs 3:5 (NIV.) 

Do any of these sound familiar in regard to waiting on God?

"I don't understand what's taking God so long?"

"I don't understand why God isn't answering me."

"I don't understand. I've been asking for months."

"Where are you God? Have you forgotten me?"

"I don't understand why you are allowing this?"

Do you see a pattern?  It's I, I, me me. The Word instructs us in so many words, don't depend on YOU or your perception in understanding all situations. In reality, you know nothing. God sees the future. He sees all angles. He knows every possibility. He's aware of every move the enemy has devised to thwart God's plan because ... "all things work for good to those that love Him" (Romans8:28). God is not only dealing with your request(s), He also has to work through other people, time, circumstances, and arrangements to make things align at the perfect time! Sometimes it's a matter of working on other peoples hearts (which takes time) to either humble, guide, or direct an action on their part which will coincide in getting you the answer you desire. It's not always just a matter of an instant response. It can be but not always. Here is an example of what I mean.

Let's say you desperately need a place to live because your landlord has raised your rent to a level you cannot afford any longer. To make matters worse you are on a limited income. You have two children, a boy and a girl. One is 5 and the other is 6 months old. You have a dog you don't want to get rid of because your son loves him. Unfortunately, you have no car and no means to move all your things. Your husband left you and there is no immediate family since they all live in another state. The landlord has given you 2 months before the rent increase. THIS is a desperate situation needing an immediate answer. So you pray. You tell God you have to move but you don't know where to go or how and please help you find a place you can afford. What does God have to do? POOF, your new apartment is ready by the end of the month? It's a possibility since "all things are possible with God" Matthew19:26. However, not likely. Trust that God knows more than you. He begins working and it looks something like this:

You need an affordable 2 bedroom apartment that will allow children and pets." That's what YOU see. !!! Period.

But here is what God sees and begins working to answer your prayer: Okay, let's see. I need to locate an affordable 2 bedroom apartment, must be very affordable and open to accept people on a fixed income. An apartment without requiring a 1st and last months deposit because she won't have the funds. I'll need a manager that accepts dogs but will let a pet deposit slide (that one will be challenging). She has to have a way to do her laundry. Hmm, I'll see if I can get that too. I need to get her on a bus route and for a bus stop to be within a safe walking distance. She'll need a grocery store and bank nearby. Oh, and the 5 year old I created will need a school close by, a good school. The neighborhood needs to be a safe one. And when I ARRANGE ALL THESE THINGS, I need to make sure one of her fellow tenants will love her and her children and will volunteer to babysit for her. I'm going to put her on the 1st floor since it's difficult to handle babies and groceries too. I need to make sure the ground floor has a enclosed patio grass area for safety. And finally, I need a couple of tenants who are willing to give her rides to the doctor, bank, and church.

To answer your prayer, God will do something like the following.  When you examine it, it's only then you can realize what a miracle He works out on your behalf. Let this sink in: First, God has to search your entire city for that perfect apartment but His working power goes much further than locating an available apartment. Yes, because He is omniscient He knows exactly where a safe, two bedroom, ground floor apartment is with a protective fenced-in patio area but it is currently occupied by a single man. Now watch God's miracle working power...

1. God can and will move the heart of that employer to finally give that single man the promotion he's always wanted.

2. In turn, that prompts the man to want to move from this smaller apartment to a big penthouse. He wants be out in 1 month and notifies his landlord.

3. The landlord will proceed to advertise the vacancy available in one month. Things are going as God planned.

**In the meantime you are still praying for an answer. Days go by. And still praying. Losing faith. Weeks passing. Fear setting in. Doubting God. An entire month passes without a way to move out. There's no money, no plan, no answers. Your faith is quickly waning.

4. While riding the bus one day you over hear a woman who is sitting across the isle. She's talking rather loudly on her cell phone to someone saying, " Lorelei Clayton. Mrs. Lorelei Clayton. Yes ma'am. Yes. That's okay. People are always apt to forget my name because it's unusual. No, I said apt, A-P-T as in apartment. Apt to forget my name. Yes, I'll hold. Thank you. I just moved so my records may not be updated yet."

**A man rushes to the front of the bus. "Ma'am. Ma'am! I missed my stop would you just pull over up here and drop me off by the Clayton apartments?"

5. You finally reach home, gather your mail, and as you sit down rummaging through all the paper clutter consisting of 2 bills, a magazine you never ordered, several coupons and advertisements for things you don't buy, you happen to notice something on that magazine cover. It's the word, Clayton!

Ad: "CLAYTON apartments. Come see our newly remodeled, affordable living." It dawns on you. Was that a coincidence today? That lady across from me on the bus spelled out the word apt and used "apartment" as her comparative word.  And also she said she just MOVED. Then the guy that missed his stop wanted to get off the bus at the CLAYTON apartments? Now, here in my hand is a magazine which came in my mail for some reason, which I have no subscription to, and is advertising on its cover affordable living at the CLAYTON apartments!

**Before I continue with my blog, do you think all this could have been a coincidence? An accident? Luck? Happenstance? Not hardly. It gets better.

6. You see a phone number to call on the magazine cover to make an appointment. You inquire and set a date to see the apartment and speak with the manager the next day.

7. You meet the manager. She's about your age and easy to talk to. She has a son by the same name and age as your son! Weird. You hit it off!

8. Together you discuss the requirements to move in. You don't want her to know your desperation. You're still praying under your breath!

9. You are surprised to find the rent is $20.00 cheaper per month and the manager wants to show you an available 2 bedroom apartment on the ground floor. She adds the gentlemen moved out several weeks ago. Weird.

10. Click. The door opens and your eyes light up. The apartment is clean and newly painted. There's a spacious kitchen, 2 nice bedrooms, and sliding glass doors which lead out to a private patio with a grassy area enclosed by a 6 ft. foot fence. You start to get your hopes up. Time to return to the office.

11. As you are leaving, you notice some paperwork and pamphlets left on the kitchen countertop. One of the pamphlets was a home made pamphlet advertising different activities the complex offers to its residents. Out stood the words: Bible study. Every Friday night in the managers building. Come join us and learn of the goodness of God. Then the manager's voice interrupts your attention, " Oh here, I forgot to show you this, we just had them installed. She opened what you thought was a linen closet. No, there before you was a brand new, shiny white, stackable washer and dryer! (only God!)

12. As you make your way back to the office you find yourself more hopeful than ever! You're still nervous though and praying silently. You know you still need deposit money, and will she allow your dog to live there? And even if she does, there will be a pet fee. There's always a pet fee. You're hope is fading again as doubt creeps in.

13. Back at the office you ask about pets and or fees. There is a 1 month deposit required on the apartment, a $150.00 damage fee up front, and pets are allowed with a $100.00 pet deposit paid up front. Your heart sinks. Your bubble is busted! And just like Peter did when he took his eyes off Jesus, you begin to sink (back into hopelessness).  All those weeks praying; waiting. All those stupid so-called "signs." You knew it was too good to be true! You have nowhere to turn. It was only Jesus that could have helped.

14. You explain you cannot come up with a pet fee as your son does have a dog, nor the 1st months deposit along with the rent too. You open up and talk things over learning more about each other. You begin to discover you have much in common! Her husband left her too with a son and nowhere to turn so she took business management, accounting, and finance classes with the help of her parents and secured her property management position. 

15. Only by the providence of God she decides to "I tell you what, I will make you a deal." She speaks, "If you will babysit my son on Thursday nights when I goes to Pilates for 3 hours, I will wave the deposit fees for both the dog and the 1st months deposit." You can't believe it! She is actually making a way for you to move in whenever you're ready. Really? This freshly painted apartment with a brand new stackable washer and dryer can be yours? She adds, "Oh, and even though there is a laundromat down the street you won't be needing it," and laughs. You find out there's also a bank, grocery store, and hardware store close by. She concludes there is a sweet elderly gentleman in Apt 209 that offers free rides though the week if I would need transportation anywhere although a bus stop is outside the complex! Evidently, according to her, he loves helping people and staying busy in his retirement! Oh, and he also drives a truck and has helped people move out so she is sure he would help me move my things in if needed. He also volunteers as a crossing guard for the local grade school around the corner where her son goes if I wanted to enroll my son there.

This was a true story of a friend of mine that happened 30 years ago. Can you now understand how God has to work sometimes? Trust in Gods timing, knowledge, plans, and sovereignty in your life. In every situation He has to make things materialize.  That might require several situations to happen simultaneously involving softening peoples hearts so that it directly or indirectly affects your outcome.

God is Always on Time! There will be situations when God’s timing leaves us frustrated and full of questions.  But remember:

He created time and is it’s Master. His timing is perfect. He is never late! He is always at work for you and has been for eternity. Trusting Him will bring you peace.  Believing in His timeline will give you rest! One last scripture, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11. I hope this blog has given encouragement to someone who has been praying a long time for something that is important to them.

Until He Comes, 

-Pat-