Pray, Work and Enjoy the Journey in the Wait

I’m often asked "You don't want children?" What are you waiting on? I am sure people wonder how I have remained patient with God’s plan for my life when I’m married and 40 years old without children. I’ve talked so much about it, it’s no secret— I do want to feel the joys of motherhood. The truth is that there have been many moments when I’ve been tired of waiting. And I have been challenged by well meaning family and friends,  “You need to let go and trust God and wait on His timing,” and that is right, but the question is, “How do you wait?"

What have you been praying and asking God to manifest in your life? A spouse? A new career? Change in a relationship? Change in your financial situation?  When we pray and ask God, there are only three answers He gives: “Yes”, “No”, and “Wait, not yet”. More often than not, we don’t like the wait answer. But God doesn’t always give us what we want when we want it. And when He doesn't we go into full petition, harass and bully mode to get God to give us an answer other than "wait" and when we do this we forget that we still have a life to live. 
 
You see waiting is not about putting your life on hold and doing nothing. He knows what is best for us. He knows His purposes for us. And He knows the perfect timing to bring us our hearts desire. But until you come to that place of abandonment, you will never find peace or contentment in the wait. Relinquishing my will to God has been quite a process, but I don’t want anything now that God has not ordained. Releasing my timetable to God was incredibly freeing. But don't confuse contentment with I  I don't think that God will not manifest my miracle. 

But the key to the place of contentment I found is to not put your life on hold while you wait. For manifestation to occur we have to be active participants.

How are you occupying your time while you wait? Are you waiting by volunteering, serving, traveling, taking classes, developing a new healthy and active lifestyle, worshiping, loving, sharing time with friends and living life? Waiting on the Lord doesn't mean you are sitting waiting for a miracle to happen. Miracles happen because you get up and take action.

The greatest example in scripture of someone who waiting with expectation and actively walking in faith was Abraham and Sarah. Abrahams' life was filled with huge promises. God told Abraham that he was to become the father of many nations, bu how was that gonna happen when he didn’t have a single heir? Abraham received a ‘Wait, not now’ answer from God regarding descendants when he was 75. Things starting looking quite bleak when Abraham and Sarah were way past the ideal ‘conceiving’ stage. 24 years will pass, but Abraham never stopped believing God because he knew that God is God and He keeps His promises. Someday, somehow, in God’s way and timing, it will happen. Abraham was patient with God because he believed in Him, so He continued to walk by faith and not by sight. So, Abraham did not sit still, He stepped out of his tent and walked confidently through and towards his open doors of promise and it  happened!

“Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.” - Genesis 21:2

He was rewarded not only with a resounding ‘yes’ but with the honor of blessing the whole world through his descendant Jesus Christ.

Are you waiting on God or are you denying your fear of moving forward?

Are you set in a pattern of laziness and procrastination? Do you lack the discipline to do the necessary work to attain the manifestation you desire? Stop waiting on some miracle to fall from the sky.  It does not manifest this way.  On this Intercession Tuesday, open your palms facing the ground, tell God that you want to relinquish your personal desires. Then turn your opened palms over so that they face heaven, and tell your Father that you surrender your future to His will for your life and that while you wait, you will pray, work and enjoy the journey. Then get up and take action to manifest the good God desires in your life now.

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Enter into Prayer

Dear Father, 


As I woke up this morning, I thought about time and how long I have waited for a breakthrough. During the down times and the quiet times when I feel so alone? I don’t know what You have in mind for my future . . . but today I wait expectantly, knowing that You know me better than I even know myself. I don’t want any less than what You have for me.  

It says in your Word in the times that I get weak and weary, "your grace is sufficient for you." 

Oh, God, I trust that you, who has begun the good work in me, are faithful to complete it. Today does not look any different than yesterday. My circumstances have not changed but I know my change will come. I am willing to wait on your perfect timing and your decision which is right. But while I wait, I will put legs to this prayer. And this means finding constructive things to do in preparation for the day of Your rescue or deliverance, instead of sitting despondently in a reclining chair doing nothing.
 
This means living a healthy lifestyle while praying for healing, focusing on the needs of others around me while confined to a situation, praying for others instead of worrying about how my needs will be met. 

I will continually confess Father God, that I trust You even though there isn’t the slightest evidence that things are changing for the better. I will actively pursue Your will as I wait for Your answer. I will no longer feel impatient, tapping my toes and drumming my fingers waiting on You. I will not become complacent and expect You to hope and seek for me, but instead I will be active in worshiping, praying, serving, being a messenger of hope and loving unconditionally while I wait.

Father, I Thank you for the courage to wait and patiently trust that you Father knows what is best for me and your manifestation will happen in its divine time. In Jesus Name I pray! Amen