On Time God
Hello friends! I hope you are having a wonderful day! I have been taking the past few weeks to rest and reflect on all the Lord has done in my life so far this year. It’s truly amazing to see how He weaves each of my days into something so beautiful.
Today I decided to write about something the Lord placed on my heart from a personal standpoint. This is an area that I need constant refreshment in, and the Lord has been so good at overflowing my cup.
As I may have mentioned before, I am currently in a season of waiting. What I personally think about seasons of waiting is that they are opportunities for growth. There is something the Lord has for me down the road that requires waiting. I can either look at my waiting season as an opportunity to grow, or I can look at it impatiently and refuse to choose joy in this season.
As much as I tell myself that the Lord is constantly working and weaving something beautiful in this undesired season, I do find myself discouraged at some moments. Sometimes I feel like the Lord isn’t there, even though I know He is. Sometimes I feel like my waiting will take forever. Sometimes I feel like God is just taking His precious time, while I’m over here trying to be joyful about a season I’m simply not thrilled about.
It is at these moments when I find a doxology of gratitude simply changes everything. I began keeping a gratitude journal when I first entered into this season because I knew the enemy would try to shift my perspective and cause me to look at this season as a curse. What I found with practicing gratuity is that you simply cannot be in a negative mindset after listing out the things you are grateful for in your life.
It’s so easy for me to complain about being in my waiting season. I feel like I am waiting on so many things – moving into my own apartment, graduating college, a future husband, becoming a mother, and the list goes on. But in this season, I am gifted with the opportunity to reflect and reassess my life and my desires. I also find this time as a chance to look at all the Lord has blessed me with and freed me from over the years.
Psalm 62:5-6, David says, “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.” This verse can be broken down in many parts…
– “For God alone” emphasizes exclusivity in trusting God. Our reliance should be placed only on Him.
– “Wait in silence” suggests a calm and trusting patience that can divert from the turmoil of anxiety and loud despair. This is our submission to God’s timing, His plans, and His commands to our lives, which contrasts our human tendencies to rush through life or immediately having what we ask for without waiting.
– “Hope is from Him” reiterates that our source of hope comes from God. All expectations and trust should be grounded in Him. It aligns with His character and His promises.
– “My rock and salvation” metaphorically describes God’s strength, stability, and reliability.
– “My fortress” continues the theme of God’s role as a protector. Absolute safety is guaranteed in a fortress, and He is that to us. He is here to protect us.
– “I shall not be shaken” declares the stability in the face of adversity. Having a firm stance in God results in steadiness and security regardless of the external circumstances.
I love breaking down verses like this. Each word has a deeper meaning that eases my doubts, comforts my anxious mind, and assures me that God is working for something bigger. Not only do I reflect on this verse for my future, but I reflect on it for my past.
I remember a time when I would pray to God asking Him for my life to be different. My hope was limited, and I almost believed the enemy’s lie that my life wasn’t ever going to change. But God came through. He was my fortress then, He was my rock that I stood on, and He was the One all of my hope flowed from. And today, He still is all of those things. He rescued me then, and now I am walking in an answered prayer that had been spoken thousands of times.
When I think about the faithfulness the Lord has proven to me in my personal testimonies, I begin to question why I continue to doubt Him. Scripture holds thousands of stories of His faithfulness, yet He continues to follow through with His promises to us daily.
For my waiting season, I have clung onto my personal proof of God’s faithfulness. He has rescued, redeemed, and transformed me then, and I know He will do it now. He never finishes blessing His children. Lamentations 3:25-26 tells us, “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”
I love how this verse and Psalms 62:5 both talk about waiting in silence and that our hope is sourced from God. Redundancy in scripture is not a coincidence. There is a crucial meaning behind waiting in silence. This does not translate directly to be quiet and don’t speak, rather an audit of our spiritual attitude.
As I mentioned earlier, finding joy in a season that is not preferred can be difficult and complaints usually always follow. “Why are they graduating so much earlier than me?” “Why are all of my friends getting in relationships and getting married?” “Why do they get the super cool job offer?” “Why are you making me wait, God?”
But waiting in silence is often about maintaining trust in God’s timing and His plans without resorting to the endless questions or discontentments. Choose to accept that God’s ways are perfect, even if they are not in alignment with your desires. This leads to a calm composure in your soul which tramples over any agitation or anxiety. Resort your mind to a deep-seated faith that God is in control and He is always at work even when there is not visible evidence.
Silence also equivalents to a reflective state. This is where you can begin to look back on all God has done in your life. Don’t key in on the chaos and noisiness of the world. Surrender and submit your thoughts to Him and acknowledge that God knows best. This is not a time for impulsive decisions, but a time of being deliberate and seeking God’s guidance before acting.
I want to close with James 5:7-8;11. James uses an analogy of a farmer waiting for the harvest to illustrate the value of patience in waiting for the Lord’s promises to be fulfilled. “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand…”; “Behold, we consider those blessed who remain steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. ”
I love how James ties in a story of God’s faithfulness dealing with Job. I wrote a post on the book of Job, and if you have’t read that book yet, I highly recommend you doing so. Job endured great suffering but he remained steadfast in his faith. His faith was tested, yet he stood firm, and as a result, Job’s outcome highlighted the compassion and mercy of God. Trials have a purpose and pain is never wasted. The wait you endure now cannot compare to the joy you will have on the other side of it.
Friend, I hope you know that God has not left you on your journey. Your wait is not your punishment from receiving, it is your preparation for something greater. He is always on time, He controls everything, and He has the pen that is writing your story. Calm your worries and be refreshed in waiting in silence. Quiet the questions, destroy the comparison, ease your doubts, captivate your thoughts, and refresh your mind in the simple fact that God knows what He is doing. There is joy to be found now, and there will be joy that will be found after because God will be by your side the entire way. Trust Him and rest in knowing He will never fail you.
Thank you for reading friends!
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