Wait for It
By
Jeannine Sawall
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 the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your
hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
James
5:7-8 (NIV)
I still remember it
like it was just last week. When my friend arrived for coffee, her first
question was, “Where are you in the adoption process?” I began to tell her how
God had been opening doors for us. Appointments that should have taken several
months were scheduled in the next few weeks. A piece of property had
unexpectedly been sold and would provide the money to cover expenses. She
listened attentively and then said, “I’m not saying this is a ‘Thus sayeth the
Lord,’ but I’ve been praying for you and I don’t think you should proceed with
this adoption right now.” Talk about a conversation stopper! How could
she even say that? This was the friend who had walked with me through five
miscarriages in the last 26 months. She had held me as I wept tears of grief
and disappointment, wondering why God was allowing this pain in my life. She
had prayed with me as I begged the Lord to take away the longing for another
baby. Adoption was a good thing! I wanted encouragement…telling me
anything else was not what I wanted!
She asked what led us
to the decision to adopt. I told her that while I hadn’t had a scroll dropped
in my lap, doors kept opening. She challenged me not to depend on positive
circumstances, but to pray without ceasing and wait until I was sure I was in
the middle of God’s will. I agreed to do that. As much as we wanted another
child, we wanted to be in the middle of God’s will more.
To our astonishment,
within the next year we were blessed with the birth of a healthy baby.
While not every story ends with the Lord giving you what
you want, when you choose to put His will before your own, every
story will end with His providing what you need. (And, of course, you and
I both know that there are times when adoption is exactly what His will is for
some.)
Often, when things
aren’t happening the way we want them to, we may try to make “it” happen. God
allows us a choice: We can choose to focus on what HE wants to do and wait for
His timing, or on what we try to do in our own strength. Looking back, I’m
thankful this friend had the courage to challenge me to stop and wait for God’s
clear direction and plan. While His timing and His ways may not always make
sense or be to our liking, it is always for His higher purpose and His
glory…and that’s something worth waiting for!
GOING DEEPER:
1 What do you do when God does not immediately answer your prayers? Do you choose to make it happen or wait on Him?
1 What do you do when God does not immediately answer your prayers? Do you choose to make it happen or wait on Him?
2. What friend do you
have in your life who will challenge you to be more dependent on God? And to
whom can you be that kind of friend?
FURTHER READING:
Psalm 37:34; Isaiah 40:31; James 5:11
Psalm 37:34; Isaiah 40:31; James 5:11
Jeannine
is a wife and mother of four active boys. She works in the property management
business. Jeannine is actively involved in ministry to those walking through
grief.
