Waiting for Promises

Waiting is the easiest action we may plan to do, but it simply is the hardest action to consistently and genuinely carry out. People often preach to us to wait on the Lord’s timing, wait on His plan to be unveiled for our lives. This is much easier said than done.

words + photographs MORGAN COPELAND

As a young woman in a judgemental, sin-filled world, my biggest takeaway while I wait for God’s plan for my life to be unveiled comes from the idea we cannot and should not waste the seasons of waiting. Becoming the person I hope to be is critical for my growth and for faith He will lead the way to a future with countless blessings I pray for each morning and night.

Too often, comparison is the thief of our joy. It steals our confidence and steals our hope. By the standards society sets for women specifically in their early 20s, if you aren’t in a relationship or engaged or married, with your five-year plan of when you’ll have a family, you are considered behind. UNTRUE! Ladies, do not fall into this trap. The “but me” goggles are real. The idea everyone around me is 10 stages ahead in life is simply not true. God has precisely planned my entire life and your entire life. He never once will be late or behind on the blessings and desires of our hearts.

Waiting days, months, or even years for a prayer we so desperately prayed to come to fruition never goes unheard.

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him,” (1 John 5:14-15).

Our Heavenly Father finds great joy when we come to Him in prayer with the most heartfelt requests. Don’t turn to worldly beliefs and standards society has set for people in waiting seasons. God has genuinely placed each of us in this season for a reason: to grow, to reflect, to listen, and to certainly test our faith. He promised us in the Gospel of John we would have troubles in this life, but He said do not worry because He has already overcome every one of the troubles we are to face.

From my experiences in seasons of waiting, the greatest strength I have found, aside from spending time in prayer and God’s word, is the people I surround myself with. Having someone to walk through the mud and muck of life’s challenges is critical in how I handle, ultimately respond, and come out of hardships. We must find mentors. We must find community. We must have people in our lives who understand the desires of our hearts and who will meet us at our worst to pray for the glory and blessings that are to come out of waiting seasons. We were never meant to face trials and tribulations alone. Jesus is on our side. He may feel distant when He hasn’t answered our requests on our time, but He is never too far. He sees us hurting, struggling and doubting, but keep faith because the blessings He will eventually provide are going to be worth every ounce of uncertainty we feel.

Each day in the waiting-and-wondering phase is a precious gift. Don’t allow the frustrations we may certainly feel to overshadow the promises He offers. Read over Psalm 37:4-5 when you feel unheard or unseen: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” Keep praying for your blessings, and keep celebrating other people’s blessings that come sooner than yours. His mercies are new every single morning. One of these days, when the desires of our hearts – according to His will – have come to fulfillment, we can look back and be proud of the people we became during seasons of waiting. By overcoming seasons of waiting, we grow our trust in the Lord as we watch Him provide a way out. He hears our cries, shouts of frustration, and deepest desires. His promises are good and are far greater than we can ever imagine or fathom on our own.

YOU ARE WORTH OF EVERY GOOD THING THIS LIFE HAS TO OFFER.

Lysa TerKeurst wrote in a devotion, “What you are going through won’t be for nothing. Your hurt will not be wasted.” I read this quote almost every morning. It resonates with me on the hardest days, when I feel stuck and unheard during seasons of waiting. One day, all you and I have endured during seasons of waiting will be worth it. It won’t be for nothing; it certainly is for something. You are worth every good thing this life has to offer. I promise your desires are worth waiting for. He never fulfills His promises early or late, always on time. Your promises are coming; praise Jesus they are coming. MC

Morgan Copeland is a Nixa native who has a passion for sharing the love the Lord has shown her and the and wisdom He has taught her. She is an assistant volleyball coach at College of the Ozarks and is pursuing a master’s degree at Missouri State University.

Homegrown Journal