Waiting for the fulfilment of God’s promises is never easy, and the longer you are in the waiting, the more you are tempted to fall for the lies of the enemy. “God forgot all His promises.” “You didn’t hear from God in the first place.” “What is next for you is better than where you are now, so why not just call it in while you wait?” “Don’t invest in relationships; you’ll have to let them go when another door opens. And you know how painful that is! ” “Don’t volunteer in the community. People will become too dependent on you. You’ll leave a huge void when God releases you to move forward.” If we give into these lies, we will slumber in our spirits and impede the process God has put into place to see His works manifest in our lives.
Several years ago, dear friends of mine moved across the country, away from fulfilling jobs and a loving church community. They did so to be there for family members who needed help. Leaving everything behind, they went on a mission.
They found part-time jobs and a church, but it was hard to make friends in a small, tight-knit town. They felt at loose ends, and they were lonely. The loved one they moved across Canada to care for passed away unexpectedly within a couple of years of their arrival. They didn’t have the funds to just turn around and move back to the city they both longed for.
As you wait for the promises of God to be fulfilled, be fruitful in the waiting.
My friend called me one day as she was homesick. As we talked on the phone, I felt the Lord give me this passage from Jeremiah for her. “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” Jeremiah 29:5-7 (Emphasis mine).
As we prayed and talked, I felt the Lord say, “Plant seeds in the garden I have given you. Bring my best where you are. Bring my peace to the town where you now live, and shift the atmosphere through just being who you are, kind, gracious and welcoming.” Neither of us thought God had sent her and her husband into exile. However, I felt God said to flourish where she was planted! She took God’s words to heart and asked for His help to see the good in her situation. Slowly, the dark cloud began to lift, although their stay was not easy.
About a year after our phone call, God opened the doors for my friend and her husband to return. Their church family welcomed them home with open arms.
A waiting season is not God’s invitation to be lethargic and sluggish in your spirit. Do all you can do, even in the waiting.
More than once, I’ve found myself in that place of waiting. I find comfort in God’s words through Jeremiah. Although I might find myself in the waiting, God urges me to resist passivity. I must plant a figurative garden to feed others and myself. He calls me to be an active part of the community. I can’t just sit at the exit door, waiting for it to open so I can go on to whatever God has for me next! There is much to be done in the waiting.
If you are in a season of waiting, I encourage you to go to Youtube and listen to the following song. It speaks to my heart; I know it will speak to yours.
Take Courage (In the Waiting)
Kristine Dimarco
Slow down, take time
Breathe in, he said
He’d reveal what’s to come
The thoughts in his mind
Always higher than mine
He’ll reveal all to come
Take courage my heart
Stay steadfast my soul
He’s in the waiting
He’s in the waiting
Hold onto your hope
As your triumph unfolds
He’s never failing
He’s never failing
Sing praise my soul
Find strength in joy
Let his words lead you on
Do not forget
His great faithfulness
He’ll finish all he’s begun
And you who hold the stars
Who call them each by name
Will surely keep your promises to me
That I will rise in your victory
All Bible verses, unless otherwise attributed, are taken from the English Standard Version (ESV).
Until Next Week
©2022 Katherine Walden