Do you ever feel like you’re in the middle of the ocean, waiting for someone to throw you a life preserver?
Have you been waiting for your financial situation to turn around? For your prodigal child to return? For your spouse to see the error in their ways? For your physical healing to come?
Have you been praying the same prayer and wondered why God hasn’t answered, or delivered you from your trial?
I’ve been there many times.
Sometimes the wait has been long…years. And I’ve been tempted to give up hope…to stop praying…to assume His answer was no, or worse yet, that He just didn’t hear my prayers.
But He has been showing me that because of Him, Hope Prevails!
It doesn’t always look like we want it to, or think it should. But God told us in His word “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD” (Isaiah 55:8).
Recently, God used a situation in my own life to help me understand this better, and to see that when we think He has forgotten or is doing nothing, we must trust He is really working ALL things together for us in His perfect way and in His perfect time.
Over ten years ago I was at an area leadership luncheon meeting for women’s ministry leaders. While there, I met the keynote speaker, whom I had long admired, and who was friends with a colleague of mine also at the luncheon. Upon meeting her, I felt an immediate connection, but the relationship went no further. I thought nothing of it…she meets thousands of women every year.
Recently, I was at my private practice when I received a text from the colleague who had been at the luncheon ten years prior. She and I had the occasional interaction over the years, but no regular opportunity to connect. She texted to ask for a few moments of my time to ask for some professional guidance. I responded that I’d be happy to help and would follow up later in the day after I had finished seeing patients and had more time to consider her concern.
Not giving it another thought, that afternoon took me to a meeting about an hour from my office. Honestly, I had wrestled with even to go to the meeting or not, believing it may not be a good stewardship of my time. After prayerful concern, still not wanting to go, I felt what I discerned to be a prompting from God.
While at the meeting, I realized I was in the same city as the colleague who had texted that morning. If you know me at all, you know I thrive on one on one connection…the kind where you get to see another’s passion and heart in life. I’d much rather sit down for a few minutes over coffee or tea than play text or email volleyball of messages.
So I texted my colleague from the meeting and let her know my whereabouts, which was followed with an invitation to come over to chat in person. Within the hour, my soul’s desire for connection was being refueled, while she was getting professional input to her concern.
As we neared the end of our professional conversation, she asked for an update on recent events in my life. I enthusiastically shared with her the most significant areas that I saw God moving and leading, but also shared with her an area that I felt powerless to effect. An area that would require God to mightily answer my prayers and be my provider.
Without hesitation, she offered that her friend, the keynote speaker I had met ten years ago, would have insight into my predicament. She proceeded to phone her on the spot to address the concern right then. What I didn’t know that morning when I had first received the text for input from my friend, was that it was this speaker’s suggestion that she contact me…she remembered me from 10 years prior.
Within minutes the three of us were visiting, sharing from the heart, and watching God connect the dots for each of us that he started drawing the foundation for over a decade before. And in the present, had I not yielded to His prompting to attend the meeting that afternoon, I would not have enjoyed their presence or input that afternoon. It was a time when God hit me with fresh revelation of his sovereignty and perfect timing.
When we can see only our current situation, He is already carefully weaving the foundation for our future prayers to be answered. When our prayers seem to go unanswered, He is waiting for His perfect timing, when He will receive glory.
Even when we are in the midst of difficulty, unable to see a resolution to our trials, we can trust that His plan is for good. “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord. ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for a future and a hope’” (Jeremiah 29:11).
What are you trusting God for today? Keep trusting, Friend. He’s working things out for your good.
Hope Prevails,
DrB
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Michelle,
This is SO good! Thank you for sharing these words on waiting today.
We’ve been a certain waiting room for almost 7 years now. I have no idea when it will end, but we are trusting that God has a plan.
I love this quote that you shared, “When we can see only our current situation, He is already carefully weaving the foundation for our future prayers to be answered. When our prayers seem to go unanswered, He is waiting for His perfect timing, when He will receive glory.”
Thanks for being an encouragement to my heart today~
Blessings,
Melanie
Oh Melanie, my heart goes out to you as you remain “in the wait.” But rest assured that no matter how long our waiting season is, He is right there in the midst with you, working behind the scenes for your good. Trust that His plan for you is good, and His timing is perfect! Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
God’s timing – I’m learning to wait with grace! I wish I had understood that so many years ago. The daily would have had more peace in it! Thank you for sharing your sweet encouragement!
I understand that. Waiting with grace is an attribute we can all aspire to, for it does lend itself to more daily peace. The good news is, it’s not too late to learn it now. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
Michelle – I just love how God connects the dots and sets things in motion for us, even when we don’t know it. He lays the best foundations doesn’t He? I was so blessed and encouraged today by your post, and have often found myself in the same circumstances as you were 10 years ago.. I walked away feeling discouraged and disappointed… But who knows, that God hasn’t already begun laying the foundations for connections and when His timing is right, they will open. Blessings, your neighbor at #WordsWithWinter
Debbie, we all go through seasons of being in a “waiting room” experience. We want things now, we want things to look like we envision them. If only we will trust that the One who created not only each of us, but also the universe, has a perfect plan and His perfect timing for our lives, we could keep our peace. He knows our needs before we ever utter a prayer, and He has already set in motion the answer for each of our prayers. Trust is the key. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
This is encouraging for me today, thank you
I’m so glad, Ally. Blessings to you!
it’s in listening to the still, small promptings sometimes of the Holy Spirit 😀
It’s always important to listen to the still, small promptings of His spirit, but even when we don’t hear or sense those, we must maintain faith that His plan is good and His timing is perfect. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
I love hearing stories of how people followed God’s prompting and were able to see the results of their obedience! It doesn’t always happen that way–some times we have to content ourselves with waiting until we get to heaven to figure out all the pieces to the puzzle.
Oh Anita, you’re right. Sometimes there is no way around the waiting period. I think the blessing to me in this situation was that because I was obedient to His prompting, I had the opportunity to see how the hands of God had been working for my good while I was unaware for 10 years. But you’re right…it doesn’t always happen that way. That’s where we must maintain our trust. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
Thank you for encouraging me today by reminding me that God is weaving this waiting time into the foundation of my life. I needed you words!
I’m thrilled that today’s post encouraged you Sarah. God is working constantly for your good for needs you don’t even know you will have. trust Him. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
What a wonderful post about waiting! So good! So true! I am so glad I found you through CBB 🙂 Blessings!
I’m glad you found us too, Johanna! I hope we’ll see you back here for more inspiration every Monday, and answers to reader questions on Thursdays in “Ask DrB”. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
It is so hard to wait but we can always find God’s hand in it all when we do! Very encouraging post! Your neighbor today at #RaRaLinkup.
Thanks for stopping by Kristen! It is hard to wait, but to God a moment is a thousand years. If we can just keep His perspective, it changes everything. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
This was a great reminder for me today and encouraging words for my heart. Thanks Michelle for sharing this post with us at #WordsOfComfort Link Up
Hugs,
Tayrina
Tayrina, I’m glad this post encouraged your heart. I love how faithful God is that way. I enjoyed your site! Hope to see you back again soon! Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
Thanks Dr. Michelle for your heart-felt wisdom!
Always my privilege Sue. Appreciate your encouraging words. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
I love how He weaves our lives together so beautifully. I am in a season of waiting, in a sense, with my friend who is deeply struggling – asking God to intervene in a big way. But I do have to trust that He’s got this (and I only need to do what He is asking me to do) and loves her even more than I do!
You understand it well, Jennifer! Whether we are in a season of wait for ourselves, or for a friend, or for our children or family members, we have 2 choices: either to trust Him completely, or not trust Him at all. God is always working toward our good. And His timing is perfect. Yes, He does love them even more than we do. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
These Divine connections are so cool. Love it when they happen.
I do too, Debbie. While He doesn’t always act in the manner, this time it was such a tangible piece of evidence of how He provides for our every need, even when we don’t see it at the time. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
Hey Michelle,
I do social media for a Christian counseling group here in the Memphis area. I usually try to share a post or article each night offering hope.
Tonight, I’m sharing yours on Waiting.
Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/HeartLife-Soul-Care/837320329648449
Just wanted you to know~
Blessings,
Melanie
You bless me, Melanie. Thank you so much for finding enough value in my words to share them with others. I pray it offers Hope to all who read it. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
Michelle, Thank you for the great post on waiting! Ugh … waiting is so difficult. It is so much easier to have a timeline and feel as though we have control! However, just like you said, His timing is the correct timing. He does work all things together for our good!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Lori, I don’t know anyone who does desire some degree of control. What’s hard about the waiting is not having control. That’s where our trust in God comes in. We must choose to trust that He will work all things out for our good despite what we see or don’t see at the time. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
“I just keep trusting my Lord as I walk along…” Hope does indeed prevail! I am thankful that God makes all things beautiful in His time and I can simply rest in Him.
Thank you for another beautiful post, dear Dr. Michelle. May you have a lovely weekend!
Stephanie, isn’t it just like God to know our needs before we have them, and to supply for them with the truth in His word? We can simply rest in Him. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
ah the waiting room of life – and nice to know that we are not in it alone 😀
We are never alone, although our feelings might try to convince us otherwise. God has promised to never leave us. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
Dr Michelle, I so enjoyed reading this post and seeing how God had placed all of you in the right place at the right (His) timing. Thank you so much for sharing this with us at Good Morning Mondays. Blessings
He is always working in the details, although we may not see it at the time. This is why He repeatedly tells us to trust Him. Some days are easier than others, but we can always trust that His plan for us is good, and His timing is perfect. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
Thanks for the much-needed word of encouragement today! I’m struggling with trusting God’s timing and waiting on Him in a situation I’m dealing with right now, and your post is another confirmation that I am right to watch and wait – as hard as that is! Glad that God arranged for me to be your “neighbor” on Weekend Whispers this week.
Kym, sometimes the hardest thing we can do is watch and wait. But if we don’t, we often miss the blessing He would have brought our way. It requires trusting God that His plan is good and His timing is perfect. A trusting heart is what He seeks. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
The waiting seasons can be difficult ones, but I’m learning to lean in and trust Him, knowing that blessings abound just around the bend.
I’m with you on that, Barbie! And sometimes the blessings are our increased measure of faith that came through waiting, leaning in, and trusting Him more. Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
Great lines about Waiting !! Thank you for sharing with us at #HomeMattersParty. We would love to have you again next week.
Thanks Sahana. I appreciate your kind words. Blessings to you!
Great post….thanks for sharing with us at #JoyHopeLive!
Thank you Mary!