This month I have the pleasure of introducing some new voices to the blog. I can’t wait for you to meet my wise friends!
I’m leading off with a message from my friend Wendy Pope that I know all of us in ministry need. Almost without fail, God uses a wait to develop the character of His speaking and writing girls. You’re in one of two categories today. Either you’re in the midst of a wait (and it seems like ministry doors are never going to swing open!) or you remember the pain of the wait you’ve already lived.
Either way, Wendy has perspective-changing words for us today, so please welcome her and leave a comment for the amazing giveaway at the end. Take it away, Wendy!
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When times get hard and the wait seems too long, we begin to doubt God as well as the unlimited and mind-blowing future He has planned for us. We begin to question God: Did I hear You correctly? Do You see what I am going through? Why does this have to be so hard? We blame God because our circumstances seem more difficult than before we invited Him into our wait. It is during these times that we have to fight to maintain our focus on the Person of our faith rather than the object of wait or distracting circumstances that surround us. One way to do this is through prayer.
The Lord longs for us to reach out to Him and ask for help, clarity, and direction. See what James 1:5–8 says: “If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who ‘worry their prayers’ are like wind whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open” (THE MESSAGE). In this verse, James clearly tells us we are to ask our Father for what we need. James says God loves to help. I certainly like the sound of that—how about you?
Wait and See identifies common misconceptions “waiters” encounter. Recognizing these misconceptions will empower us to wait well, stay present in the present, and experience God in our delay.
Misconception #1: If I am waiting, I must not have heard God correctly.
Meet Ashley: Ashley learned that waiting doesn’t necessarily mean you heard God incorrectly. Ashley says, “We give up too easily because we don’t see what we want to see when we want to see it.”
Misconception #2: If I am waiting, I must desire something not in God’s will for my life.
Meet Samantha: Samantha desired to be married. She knew God ordained and approved marriage, but did He want her to be married? There are plenty of verses in the Bible about marriage, relationships, and how to be a loving spouse. Yet Samantha also knew the verses in which Paul clearly states that some people are called to remain single.
Misconception #3: If I am waiting, I must not be praying enough.
Meet Dianna: Day after day, Dianna prayed and sought the Lord. Many days, she ate only one meal so her family could have all the food they needed. She watched her husband take odd jobs here and there just to make ends meet. She knew in her heart God would supply their needs, but she had to keep telling her head.
Misconception #4: If I am waiting, I must not have enough faith.
Meet Scott and Wendy: This was the lie I believed as we agonized over my husband’s declining health. What was I doing wrong? Was God holding my past against me? Had I not done enough to earn His favor? Sometimes waiting has less to do with the strength of your faith and more to do the perfection of God’s timing.
Misconception #5: If I am waiting, I must not be working hard enough.
Meet David: David did not ask to be king. David did not dream of being king. He wasn’t born into a royal family line from which he would naturally be appointed king. God chose David to be king. It is possible you and I could find ourselves waiting for something we never desired but God desires for us. He knows better than we do what we need to fulfill what He’s called us to do.
We need to prepare in the pauses so we’re ready to embrace God’s plans.
Wendy is the wife of Scott, mother of Blaire and Griffin, author, speaker, and Bible study teacher. She loves lazy Sundays watching golf with her husband, thrift-store shopping with her daughter, and watching building shows with her son.
Wendy is the author of Wait and See. She is a contributing author to the Real-Life Women’s Devotional Bible, Encouragement for Today: Devotions for Daily Living, The Reason We Speak, and God’s Purpose for Every Woman. Wendy writes devotions for Proverbs 31 Ministries’“Encouragement for Today” and is a content provider for the free online devotion app First 5 as well as a member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker team.
She leads women all over the world to life change through her in-depth online Bible studies. She has led thousands of women through her Read through the Word study of the One Chronological Bible. Down-to-earth and transparent, Wendy teaches in a way that women feel she is speaking directly to their hearts.
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Giveaway:
To enter for the fabulous giveaway below, leave a comment telling us a lesson you learned in a wait. If you’re living life on the fly today, you can simply say, “I’m preparing in the pause.”
This incredible gift pack includes: a copy of Wait and See, whimsical beaded bookmark with a butterfly charm, and hand stamped Don’t Rush the Wait aluminum cuff bangle.
I have learned valuable lessons while waiting. One thing that I must remind myself of is that waiting should not be seen as wasted time, but should instead be viewed as prep time. He prepares me for the promise as I wait and rest in Him.
I’ve heard the power of your message in person, Iris, and I believe in you! Praying for you today as you wait.
Just visited your blog, Iris, and watched your video, “In the Arms of the Father.” Amy is right – so powerful. I loved it!
God is faithfulness!
Over ten years ago, God placed a promise on my heart for my son. Too many details to put into this post but here’s the jist of it. Promise: Romams 8:28 was placed on my heart the day my father die in front of me. My first thought was how was my son going to live without his grandpa? Then the promise came and for over ten years I’ve watched my son collect his testimony…living in poverty because of his bad choices.
Today, he is a RN with a full time job, drug free and will be moving into a beautiful apt in November. I’ve prayed, fasted and waited along time for this, however there is one more thing this mama is looking forward to. It is the day when he fully makes Jesus…Lord of his life! Then Romans 8:28 will be completed.
In His Grace~Tammy
I just had this conversation this week so this post was perfectly timed. I especially learned from the story about King David. Thanks for that today. Really good stuff.
One thing I’m learning as I remain in a season of waiting is that God is using this time to “chip away” the parts of my life that don’t look like Jesus. It’s a time of preparation, and at times, it’s painful, but it’s always good.
I’m preparing in the pause.
I learned a valuable lesson in the wait years ago. Our family (my husband and I, and 6 kids) had to downsize to a 2 bedroom 1 bath house so that my husband could start his business. It took 4 years of navigating that home for me to overcome the resentment of being there. I was the most ungrateful, and that made the wait so much longer!
Once I learned that God wanted me to learn to be content in that circumstance, He started opening (literal) doors for us to move into a home that greatly fit our family’s need and desire!
Sometimes I feel as though my life is one long pause. I have tried to learn, though I’m a work in progress, that each delay and detour is taking as toward something better or away from something that is not God’s best.
I have learned that God will stay with me through whatever happens and however each trial ends. Things may not “end” the way I want, but God continues to take care of me… maybe not the way I would have wanted, but I still know that He is with me.
I’m preparing in the wait. Here in the wait I’m learning more and more to listen for His voice and clinging to Matthew 10:27. Thank you for this post today- it is one I will return to often!
I have learned that waiting is essential to being prepared for God’s work in our lives. By waiting we develop the Christ-like character of patience – godly patience, not the worldly impatient patience.
What’s good about waiting is you can absolutely get much better prepared for the work God has called you to. We think we’re ready, but there have been times I was so RELIEVED that I’m still in the wait. It saved me from making embarrassing mistakes! Thinking back on when I was impatient and discouraged that nothing was happening, I now CRINGE at the thought of what it might have been like had God given me what I wanted when I wanted it! “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him . . .” (Lamentations 3: 25-26). He’s good in the actual waiting!!
I am preparing in the pause. Getting excited about the future.
Misconception #5 speaks to me as I wait for God’s timing re family dynamics. After decades of observing and processing, I was led to share what God had showed me. My words were rejected. I have missed a full year of family events. I do not want to rush God’s timing, but it is difficult to remain silent and alone. I struggle to not defend myself to those who bear false witness or those who choose to perpetuate the dysfunction.
Only one person is willing to engage in conversation. Pray that when that opportunity finally comes, I will be filled with grace, peace, wisdom, and communication skills far greater than mine alone. I have been preparing in the pause — and will continue to do so until God gives me new directions.
I have been in the wait mode for some time…but thru all of it I am growing closer to him He is refining me preparing me for His plan!
I would have to say the longest wait I had was when my sister disappeared. Her husband said she just walked out, but we knew she would never leave her three small boys. She was gone September, 12, 1982. We got to go to trial 2004. Her husband was found not guilty. We stood over an empty grave and still memorialized her. And I have to share there were times that the enemy of our souls would torment me with thoughts of what her last moments were like. But God whispered to me, “Anne, I was with her.” And I believe when she took her last breath, God carried her to heaven. This woman who believed in Jesus as an Awana girl. God has taught me some deep lessons in waiting. The most important one is that I never waited alone. Never.
We learned to wait on God when we were fostering our youngest son. Changes in the plan happened all the time, and we never knew what his future held.. for 1.5 years. Then, God made his plan known! 🙂
As a teenager I was diagnosed with severe depression. In a way I have lived my life in a dark fog..always wondering why me??, instead of going to God about it..until a year ago when my 13 yr. old daughter tried to kill herself…then the fog cleared in my head and I realized that is exactly why I had to experience it myself…so I could help my daughter deal with it..and a year later she is doing better than I ever did..until we went through it together and I finally got the support I needed. I have had a great life, but there was always a nagging voice in my head to hide my sadness…God is wonderful and I am so glad he taught me such a valuable lesson on waiting and learning to put my trust in him!!
I have learned in the wait that God provides. When life happens, I go into extreme planning mode. I make list after list and pray for God to provide clear direction. I make different lists and then discuss it with anyone who will help me make more lists. Then, in a quiet whisper, He reminds me to be still…just be still and wait. God reminds me of who He is and that He has already created the master list of all lists. Then I wait. When I do, He provides.
I am in the wait. I don’t like it. I wrestle with it. I despise it at times. Yet, in the wait is where I continue to hear God beckoning me on to what He has. And it’s in those doubting moments that He shows me He is preparing me for what lies ahead. With that hope surges new energy to wait. So, wait I will….in faith, in prayer, on my knees…I will wait for His best.