Maybe we can blame it on the microwave.
Or at least the person who invented it.
Now, I love microwaveable popcorn just as much as they next girl. But, is that where our culture’s inability to wait for basically anything began?
Probably not. I don’t think we can lay the blame for that at the feet of the microwave guy.
But regardless of when it happened, one thing’s for sure…we are a people who hate to wait.
From the quickest drive thru lane to the fastest online delivery service, patience has become a thing of the past.
And waiting on God is no exception.
We tend to want our prayers answered quickly. And we struggle mightily when they aren’t.
But God isn’t bound by time. Especially not our definition of it.
And that’s a difficult thing to accept. But as I’ve learned over and over in my own life, time spent waiting on God is never wasted.
Because it’s in those seasons of waiting that God teaches us some of life’s most valuable lessons.
Not my best quality…
To say I struggle with patience would be an understatement.
I despise waiting in line. I look for the quickest meals when planning our weekly menu. Stoplights drive me crazy.
And waiting on the gas pump to fill up the large tank of my SUV? Agonizing.
I’m not proud of my impatience. It’s definitely a character trait that needs some work. I’ve known that for a long time and I try to take advantage of situations that help me grow.
And there’s one thing that’s been abundantly clear in my adult life…God is willing and ready to provide those opportunities in large quantity!
I can’t even begin to count the number of time I’ve had to wait for something. Big and little. Short waits and much longer stints.
Whether it’s ALWAYS seeming to choose the longest line at the grocery store or waiting years longer than I hoped to find a husband, God has seemed determined to form me into a more patient person.
And while those experiences have ranged from frustrating to heartbreaking, I’ve been grateful for the journey.
It’s taught me more about life than I could have thought possible. It’s softened my heart and given me compassion for others I wouldn’t have otherwise felt.
And it’s strengthened my faith in ways that a quick fix never could have accomplished.
Unanswered prayers…
I once heard it said there’s no such thing as unanswered prayer. God hears and answers every prayer in one of three ways: yes, no, or wait.
I would have to agree.
Those times when God is silent and when prayers seem to go unnoticed aren’t unanswered requests that bounce back from heaven.
I believe those are times when God is simply saying, “Wait.”
Or, “Not right now.”
And most often, “I have something better planned.”
I’ve seen that play out in my own life countless times.
I petitioned God for years to find a husband. I sifted through multiple relationships that didn’t work out. And I watched friend after friend get married while I waited.
Alone and longing for more. Not understanding His plan. And frustrated with His timing.
But, when God finally did bring that man into my life, he was more than worth the wait. Our dating story reads a little like a fairy tale. And our marriage only keeps getting better.
Although I didn’t understand it back then, I can now see God’s timing was perfect. For a whole bunch of different reasons.
Read more about my journey to marriage in “Waiting with Patience on God’s Timing.”
You would have thought that experience might teach me a thing or two about waiting on God. And it did.
But even that life-changing journey didn’t put my struggles with impatience and control to bed.
Fortunately, we have a God who doesn’t give up on us. And He has faithfully and repeatedly continued to provide me with opportunities for growth!
Another lesson in waiting on God…
A few years after our second daughter was born, my husband and I decided it was time to try for a third child. We’d always dreamed of a big family and couldn’t wait to add another kiddo to the mix.
With two little girls already, we prayed for a boy. My husband is the last of the line for his family name. And there are no boys on that side of the family tree to carry their name into the future.
Even more importantly, he has a deep desire to change the legacy of his last name. He was the first Christian in his family. And he wants to pass that faith down to future generations that bear his name.
Our girls had been conceived fairly quickly and both pregnancies were virtually complication free. So, we looked forward with eager anticipation to another little baby to love-hopefully a boy!
While we obviously couldn’t handpick the gender, we still weren’t prepared for what happened next.
A difficult journey…
Over the course of the next four years, we struggled with infertility and experienced two miscarriages. Our initial assumptions that adding to our family would be easy slowly became replaced with the realization that things were different this time.
Admittedly, we were both a little older. But after a few rounds of tests for both my husband and I, there didn’t seem to be any noticeable medical issues that would make getting pregnant as difficult as it had suddenly become.
So, we tried harder. We researched and read. I tracked my cycle, kept record of my basal body temperature, and used ovulation kits.
And we did the best thing we knew…we prayed. Fervently.
We begged God for the chance to be parents again. For a little boy to continue the family name. For a precious baby to join his big sisters.
Our daughters joined in the requests sent heavenward. They prayed and believed right along with us.
But for years, heaven remained silent.
when waiting isn’t easy…
That season was an indescribable rollercoaster of emotions that’s difficult to put into words. In fact, I’m not sure that anyone looking from the outside in can ever fully comprehend the infertility journey.
I vividly remember the hope each month that maybe this was finally “it.” Only to have that hope dashed with the start of a new cycle.
Then, after years of repeating that same process every single month, we walked through the heartbreak of miscarriage. Twice.
It was devastating.
I cried out to God. Numerous times. Yet He didn’t seem to be answering my prayers. And for the life of me, I couldn’t understand why.
Giving up control…
But, as time went on, I began to feel Him speaking to my heart. And so did my husband.
God brought both of us to a point where we realized there was nothing more we could do. Our desire to have another baby was (and always had been) out of our control.
Our children were a gift from God. And only He could ultimately bless us with another one.
So, we did the only thing left to do.
We left it up to Him.
I stopped using the ovulation kits, tracking cycles, and taking temperatures. We kept trying to conceive, but did our best to lay the results of our efforts at the feet of the Lord.
Not too long after that, my doctor encouraged me to see a fertility specialist.
And while this seemed to be a logical next step, my husband and I hesitated. While we believed medical intervention can often be God’s way of answering prayer, we had a sense this wasn’t the right decision for us.
God still seemed to be calling us to wait. And trust.
So, we didn’t schedule that appointment.
We just kept praying.
Find scriptures to encourage your faith as you wait in “13 Verses About Patience in God’s Timing.”
Waiting in faith…
While we did feel like God was telling us to wait on His timing, we knew from past experiences that we needed to wait with expectation. It was important for us to take steps of faith during our time of waiting to strengthen our belief that God would deliver on His promise.
Those steps started way back when we first decided to try for a third child. Around that time, we needed to purchase another vehicle.
We chose an SUV. With only two children back then, we didn’t need the extra space. But, we wanted to be ready for a bigger family. And prepare accordingly.
So, SUV it was.
From that point forward, we kept choosing to believe that God would answer our prayers. And we acted on that belief.
Fast forward a few years. Still a family of four. But, when it was time for a new kitchen table, we diligently searched for one that would seat six.
It didn’t make a whole lot of sense. We didn’t need the bigger table. And there were no signs that we would anytime soon.
But we refused to give up hope.
A new car. A kitchen table. And many other little steps of faith that kept our minds right and our hearts open to the possibilities of what God could do.
All in God’s timing…
And then, over four years after we started trying for a third child…it happened.
I was pregnant.
Just as it’s difficult to describe our infertility journey, it’s hard to put that moment into words.
Shock. Joy. Happy tears. Overwhelming gratitude.
The actual story of how we found out is so precious to me that I can’t even write about it just yet.
But it was a moment my husband and I will never forget. And one we’ll forever hold close to our hearts.
God had not forgotten us.
Our prayers did not go unanswered.
He had only asked us to wait.
A surprising turn of events…
But God still had one more surprise in store. You see, my husband and I pretty much expected this baby to be a boy. After all, that’s what we’d prayed for.
But, as is so often the case, God had other plans.
At our 20 week ultrasound, the technician delivered surprising news. It was another girl!
I’ll never forget the shocked silence that filled the room as my husband and I sat in disbelief. The ultrasound technician continued talking, but neither of us heard anything she said for at least the next five minutes.
We had been so sure. But we had been wrong.
I have to admit…I was disappointed.
My husband was too, but he recovered quickly. After the long journey we’d traveled to get to this baby, just the opportunity to have another was enough to dash away his feelings of disappointment.
And I knew he was right. Yet, at the same time, I was sad for what “might have been.”
We’d wanted a boy for so many different reasons. It’s what we had prayed, believed, and hoped for. After all that time waiting on God, He’d said no to that particular request.
And again, I didn’t understand.
Comfort from above…
My husband went back to work that day and I headed home in an empty car. I was thankful for the quiet and the time to process my emotions.
I took my sadness and disappointment to the Lord.
This time, I didn’t have to wait for an answer. I felt him speaking to my heart again…
“You knew what you wanted. But I know what you need. And this baby girl is exactly what your family needs. Trust me.”
I still remember the tears that filled my eyes as the emotions of the day took over.
That word from the Lord didn’t take away my sadness. Or completely get rid of my disappointment.
But it brought immediate peace and comfort. Once again, God knew best. He had proved that over and over. I only had to choose to trust Him.
A blessing beyond words…
At the time of this writing, we’re a few weeks away from delivering our third baby girl. We’ve cherished every moment of this pregnancy.
Even the not so pleasant symptoms like morning sickness, weight gain, and heartburn have seemed less like a burden and more like a blessing.
They’re all reminders of a long-awaited gift.
Waiting on God for this particular answer to prayer has given us a whole new perspective on the miracle of life.
We see it through renewed eyes of wonder. Each step in the process is more significant. Every milestone more appreciated.
Our journey has been difficult. And not one we ever would have chosen for ourselves.
And yet, we wouldn’t change it. It’s an integral part of our faith story. It has grown us…shaped us…changed us.
And while we’ve been thankful for the gift of each of our children, this time is different.
Waiting on God for this baby has reminded us what a precious privilege it is to be a parent. It’s developed in us a deep appreciation for our family that we might have otherwise never experienced.
For that, we are forever grateful.
Still waiting on God…
And yet, in a sense, we’re still waiting. And praying. We don’t have that baby boy-but we haven’t given up on him.
We don’t know what God’s answer to our newest prayer will be. My husband and I will soon be exiting that child-bearing years. We have no idea whether another child is in the cards or not. And waiting too much longer doesn’t seem physically possible.
But that’s the thing about God…He loves to do the impossible. And He’s not restricted by time to do it.
In my life-long struggle with patience, I hope I’ve finally learned one of life’s most valuable lessons…
Waiting on God is never easy. But it’s always worth it.
It’s a faith-growing, hope-bringing, life-changing journey.
A journey with rewards that only get sweeter and more precious with time.
Do you have a waiting on God story? I’d love to hear it! Please share in the comments below!
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