Worth the Wait
They who wait for 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 ESV
Waiting Feels Impossible Sometimes
I don’t know about you but I’m not terribly patient. I’m a lot like that character in Willy Wonka, the girl who wanted what she wanted when she wanted it. (Ahem.) I’m a product of 21st century living, I suppose.
Maybe you can relate. These days, life is so instantaneous. We order fast-food or take-out. We pop our popcorn in the microwave, and we cook our dinner in an InstantPot. We really can have what we want when we want it. . .mostly.
We don’t have to wait on the vegetables to grow in the garden like our forefathers did. If we want French Fries, we drive through McDonalds. We don’t have to pluck a chicken and fry it in a pan. We just buzz through KFC or Chickfila.
Sometimes God Calls us to Wait on Him
Recently I decided to try a new recipe. I was in the mood for a cobbler and looked through my cupboards to see if I had any canned pie filling. I was feeling pretty lazy that evening and didn’t want to mess with making the filling from scratch.
I tossed a quick homemade pie crust on the cobbler and popped it into the oven, then checked my recipe before setting the timer.
55 minutes.
Ugh. I didn’t want to wait 55 minutes for that cobbler. Why couldn’t it bake in 20 – 30 minutes?
I got busy with a project and distracted myself but I couldn’t stop thinking about that yummy dessert and how badly I wanted it. . .now.
55 minutes later the cobbler came out of the oven and I swooned. It was. . .amazing. The crust was crisp, the gooey fruit layer was bubbling, and the sugar on top was glistening. Perfection!
If I’d pulled it out when I wanted to (at the 20 – 30-minute mark), I would’ve had a soggy crust. The outcome would have been disappointing.
Some things are worth the wait, friend.
Oh, it doesn’t feel like it when you’re waiting, of course. Human beings are impatient. We give up. We lose heart. We feel like God won’t come through for us.
I don't know about you, but...
I’ve been praying and believing for big things in my life, but they haven’t happened yet. I see glimpses, but the “big miracle” hasn’t yet arrived on the scene.
While praying, the Lord gave me an image to ponder. I saw myself with a tiny mustard seed in my hand. I knelt down on the ground and dug a hole. . .a deep hole. . .then dropped the teensy-tiny seed inside.
As I rose and brushed the dirt off of my knees I realized I’d lost sight of the tiny seed. It was no longer in my hand. It was in God’s, deep below the surface.
And I had to trust that He was working under the soil to perform something miraculous, even when I couldn’t see it with my own eyes.
What are You Believing For?
I don’t know where you are. I don’t know what you’re believing for. I don’t know how big (or how small) your faith is. But I do know that good things are worth the wait.
Take that mustard seed of faith. Dig deep. (Go deep with God, in prayer and in worship.) Drop that seed into fertile soil. . .then step away. Trust God. Believe that He’s working on your behalf, even when you can’t see it.
The cobbler is bubbling. It’s going to be ready soon. And when it is, you’ll be so very glad you waited.
Lord, I’ll confess. . .I’m impatient. And I lose heart while I’m waiting. But today I choose to place my trust, my faith, in You. I’m letting go of this mustard seed and placing it in fertile soil for you to blossom into something wonderful. I can’t wait to see what’s ahead, Father! Amen.
About the Author
Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.
Beautifully writen.
Thank you! It will be worth the wait.
Awesome.
Amen!
I am usually very good at waiting, but once in awhile I make a decision that I don’t wait on the Lord for. I am convinced I know it is a good thing. Waiting is always worth it!
Always! (It doesn't always seem like it in the moment, though!) Hindsight is 20/20!
Wow! What a great post that I needed to read this morning. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes and devotions!
You are so very welcome!
Congratulations on this blog. I love your posts.
Thank you so much for the encouragement!
You are so yummy gifted!
Love you, my friend.
When we were trying to start a family (I in my late twenties, hubby in his early thirties), we were so impatient. Infertility is painful. We couldn't understand why God was making us wait. When we finally conceived our oldest , we realized that the timing was perfect; financially I was able to quit work and stay home only because we had to wait, and were able to get debt paid off in the meantime. God's timing really is perfect .
It never feels that way in the moment, does it? But hindsight really is 20/20, as they say!
It’s so hard to drop it in the soil, out of reach, even out of view. But it frees you to lift your hands and eyes to what He has in front of you, now. Until one day, you turn around, and are amazed at what He has grown!
Amen!!!
Believing with you, Janice. May the Lord bless and prosper the work of your hands. Your Abba Father knows our every need and delights in giving us good gifts.
Thank you, my sweet friend!
Thank you for your timely devotional. Our families prayer is for my nephew. He has a very important (life changing) decision to make in the next few days. We pray he takes the first step. He needs a miracle. And it's been a long time coming.
Hugs and prayers for him (and you!)
This was so good and very timely for me and many people I know.??
I'm so glad! Thanks so much for your love and support!
What an "on time" word. Thank you Janice!
You're so welcome!
We all have things we have been waiting to see fulfilled. We know it's in God's timing, but sure would be nice if it was ours. So encouraging though, to know & believe He really, really wants to answer these requests, but also, we know when the time is right, it will be so, so much better than what we expected, as we have grown thru the waiting.
Amen!
I agree that waiting is so hard. I am down here in Texas, wondering why we had to move from Oregon, my home state. Why did I have to leave the job I loved and retire at 65? Yeah, I know the reasons, but it still doesn’t help when you have family back home that you wish you could talk to and hug. When you wish for cooler and rainy weather. When you want what you had.
I know all the reasons and God had His reasons for us moving down here. Now I have to wait and see what plans He has for us.
By the way, I don’t make microwave popcorn. I have a pan that my dad used when I was growing up. Just put the popcorn in the heated pan along with olive oil and pop it. So much better then microwaved popcorn. However, the handle is giving out after 65+ years. Going to have to get me a new pan!
Debbie, thank you for sharing your story. I'm not a fan of waiting, for sure! And I'm SO sorry you are having to experience this terrible Texas heat! (It's miserable this summer, for sure.) I have grandkids in MT so I definitely understand how hard separation can be. Blessings on you and yours. - Janice
Waiting ... and waiting. Praying ... and praying. Then, simply ... trusting. My two biggest mustard seed plantings ... 45 years and 22 years. A bud now and then, but no blossoms yet. I think I'll water with a few more prayers tonight. Blessings!
Keep praying! Keep believing!