Why the wait?

Does anyone else out there feel like most of their life has been a waiting period? Or is that just me and my lack of patience? 

There is so much growth in waiting though, that I have found myself able to rejoice and worship in the waiting. With excited expectancy for what God is doing and what is to come. I still have frustrating days of course but overall, looking back, I am able to see how much God uses waiting periods and all the beauty that comes from them. 

But we can either enhance, or limit, the beauty that can come out of our waiting periods. 

Do you find yourself becoming bitter at your waiting? Allowing your frustration to overtake you and sometimes giving up instead of persevering? Potentially hardening your heart in the unknown instead of going deeper in faith? Not willing to budge until you have answers? If so, you are not alone. But I want to encourage you in switching your mindset, in opening your heart to possibilities, and in using this time for good!

Ladies, scripture makes it clear that we do not always understand what God is doing. When we read the old testament we see story after story of people, scared, timid and ordinary, being used by God in awesome, yet unexpected ways! When we read the new testament, we are told to expect hardship, to actively put on our new self, to engage in the victorious war against our enemy, and to stand strong in Jesus! So why is it that when we don't understand, and we feel lacking and we come into hard times, do we think God has forgotten us? Why do we tend to harden our hearts in these times instead of pulling from scripture parallel situations to encourage us through? 

Let me tell you something: God is doing things in your life, God is working things out for your good, and God is wanting to mold you into a closer image of Jesus….but He needs an open heart. He needs a willing vessel. He needs a relationship. And He needs you to prioritize Him. Why? Because His love is so incredibly more than we can imagine, that He gives us free will. We have the choice, every single day, to say yes or no to God. So this is the part that hurts, but we must confront it if we want to move forward. Are you saying yes or no to God? Not only in your prayer time but in your actions throughout the day. Are you diving deeper in scripture and pursuing God more than the things of this world? Or are you falling into the trap of busyness and He keeps slipping down the priority list? Have you hardened your heart and stopped listening to Him because your worldly expectations are not being met? 

I know these questions can sting and you can get annoyed with me. But do you want to see change? It is not fun coming to realize that we are part of the problem for delays in our life, but after all, we are the broken ones in our relationship with God, so it would make sense for that to be the case, right? So be willing to evaluate yourself. Be willing to take time to think through your decisions and actions. Be willing to come to God and ask Him to show you where you really are. What you need to work on. And how He sees your current situation. It could be the decision that moves you forward. It could be the decision where you start to see advancement, and no longer sit in stagnation.