Gifts in the Waiting
- The Narrow Path
- Jul 8, 2022
- 2 min read
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12, NIV).
The desire to be a wife and a mother has been on my heart for as long as I can remember. I was like most young girls who dream of putting on a beautiful wedding gown, saying “I do,” and stepping into a committed life together to explore the world, raise a family, and ultimately, follow whatever path the Lord set us on together.
I have often discussed these desires of my heart that I continue to wait on the Lord to fulfill. Recently, the Lord has given me a new perspective to see so many of the gifts in the waiting.
My good friend snapped this picture of me holding her son at the end of a recent church service. Though the image depicts the moment, it cannot contain the joy that I have found when it comes to investing in the lives of my friends’ kids in ways that I pray impacts them for the Kingdom of God.
I have spent countless weekends sitting around my parent’s dining room table playing Rook with my mom, dad, aunt, and uncle. I have begun to grasp the passing of time in a way I haven’t before, and it has yielded in me a renewed sense of gratitude for the kindness of the Lord. As a result of the unfulfilled desires of my heart, He has allowed me to be part of these moments in ways I most likely wouldn’t have been otherwise.
The Lord has blessed me with a professional career and wise counsel. In the waiting, I have developed a deeper understanding of what financial freedom looks like, what steps to take now to move toward that, and how that will provide stability for my family in the future.
He has given me space to pursue passions, like writing and investing in the next generation, in ways that have grown me emotionally and spiritually. Because my schedule isn’t filled with date nights and activities for my kids, I have been able to take steps forward into areas where I have prayed the Lord will use my words so that others may see Jesus more clearly.
Romans 12:12 is a beautiful scripture that accurately reflects how the Lord has taught me to experience life in this season and always: Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
The joy I have found in this season of waiting as I lean into the hope found in Jesus has been one of the best surprises of my life.
The affliction I have experienced, whether by poor choices or life itself, has taught me the importance of being patient while I expectantly wait for what the Lord has for my future.
Faithfulness in prayer and leaning on others when praying seems difficult has pushed me forward through wilderness seasons and has left me standing on the promises of God, knowing that no matter what my future holds, I know who holds my future.
I will continue to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer, and cling to all the amazing gifts found in the waiting. Won’t you join me?
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