I may be writing to someone that is currently on the WAITING. The waiting of a promise or the waiting of an unknown answer to a question. I want to encourage you to experience God during the wait. Press in, ask God for the desires of your heart and He will answer. DO NOT act without hearing from God. This is the most dangerous thing you can do and it comes with consequences. So, what prompts me to talk on this topic?
God recently had one of my friends share a quote with me that said “the wait is more about experiencing God than enduring the delay”. I feel like God has been talking to me in regards to this subject. Today, I asked God, “okay, so I get it. I am not supposed to be doing THIS and I am supposed to be WAITING on THAT, now what?” I don’t think this comes with a simple answer. As I write this blog I am prompted to look to what God has to say in regards to this subject. I want to be the type of Woman of God that wants to experience God in the delay. Focus on Him while I wait. So let’s put some context to give you an example…
As much as this can be a blog about thriving in singleness I want to expand this beyond that. I will give an example on that because this is currently what I have been learning with Jesus. However, I feel like this is one of those life lessons that applies to multiple topics.
I have enjoyed these last few years of being single. I’ve been able to speak to some women about my experience in it. A few years back I prayed to God after several heart breaks and said I was done with being hurt. I wanted Him to help me guard my heart as He says to do so in Proverbs 4:23. He took me into Song of Solomon and pointed to me 3 times on what He needed me to hear. DO NOT AWAKEN LOVE (Song of Solomon 2:7, Song of Solomon 3:5 & Song of Solomon 8:4). By then I was like okay, okay, I get it! There’s consequences to me being hurt. I am not waiting and I need to WAIT. I had enjoyed the journey up until recently. The enemy has a way to bring up our past and attack us when we are thriving in areas that make us beneficial to The Kingdom.
Within these last few months leading to the World Race I started to deal with emotions on past relationships and comments from people. I would hear “so when are you going to get a boyfriend?”, “You need to get married!” & “why are you wasting a year of your life doing mission work when you could be out looking for a husband?” This HURT! My identity started to become dependent of having someone else instead of finding myself in Christ. This stirred up feelings of incompleteness, unworthiness and SHAME.
I’ve learned that ALL of these are not from God. When SHAME attacks you; you expose it! Why? There is freedom in exposing shame and it removes its power. John 8:32 tells us, “then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” You don’t let the enemy have a foot hold on your shame because you expose it. Make it your testimony and be vulnerable. Vulnerability allows for others to say “hey, I’m on the same boat”. Not only that but we know that God turns our mess into a message. He turns everything to good (Romans 8:28).
When you feel incomplete and unworthy you need to seek the TRUTH. Matthew 10:31 combats that by stating “you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7 repeats it and Genesis 1:27 reminds us that we are created in His image. Our worth is given by our Creator. A diamond’s worth is determined by its Creator because it’s designed by its Creator. You don’t get your worth from others. You look for your worth in Christ. You were worth dying for (John 3:16)!
Romans 5:8 reminds us that, “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. This means just like the woman that was about to get stoned (John 8:1-11); we are not exempt of being sinners but we are still loved through it all. Christ has covered our sins so we get to enjoy the value given to us by Him. If we just take the time to look for the truth in the Bible we will know that there are many times that we are pointed towards worth coming from Jesus. We didn’t earn it or deserve it but it’s here for FREE!
With that said we now look into the promise. 2 Corinthians 1: 20 tells us ALL His Promises are Yes & Amen! Let me start off with Jesus is a gentleman. You don’t have to do what He says but He invites you into His promises. If you are willing to want to be part of His plan, allow for His will to fall into your life and get to know Him; then you will get to see that He has great plans for you in the midst of CHAOS (Jeremiah 29:11). It’s best to allow Him to do what needs to be done in your life so that you don’t deal with the consequences of falling out of His will.
God has perfect timing. We are reminded by this in Ecclesiastes 3:1 that says “there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens”. This means God has carved out this season in your life so you can experience Him at the fullest. In Psalm 27:14 it says “wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” This means all we need is to be strong and wait. Even then we know that we just need to give it up to Him. Why? Because His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). When we wait on Him we are telling Him we TRUST Him on what He is doing. Proverbs 3:5 tells us “TRUST in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”. Again, because we will FAIL greatly if we trust on our understanding. God knows what’s best for you and He wants you to live in fullness.
God cares about the desires of your heart. We are reminded of this in Romans 8:32 that says, “He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?” The desires of your heart are placed there for a reason. When you align to His will, His word and His promises you are able to know if this is a desire that comes from God.
To sum it all up, it comes down to TRUST and FREEDOM. Trust God in what He is doing so you can live in FREEDOM. It’s not easy. It’s part of the process. But, know that I am right there with you. You’re not alone and this just means God is going to exceed what you would settle for. Ephesians 3:20 says “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us”. You should be excited! God will do more than you can imagine. Enjoy Him in your new FREEDOM of knowing He is for you and will do more than you could. When you’re enjoying a season of your life you don’t stare at the clock. You take pleasure in what you are doing. Walk with Jesus during this season. When the Wait meets the Promise it’s worth it!
