As a
Christian you also probably have experiences that prove this to be true. When
you got that job at the last minute, or when you drove home on a whim and the
next day your parent was rushed into hospital and you were just right where you
needed to be, at the right time.
However,
if you are anything like me, you can be a slow leaner.
There
was a time a little while ago in my life where I was hoping and praying for something new. I had
this idea of how things would unfold and I knew when I wanted it to happen.
Unfortunately I found myself a few months past my ideal time frame and I was
starting to get anxious.
I
remember sitting in church and not being able to concentrate on the message. As
I watched people around me and prayed, the phrase ‘my heart’s desire’ popped
into my mind. I began to pray that God would give me my heart’s desire.
At
the end of the service I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned round and a lady
from our church quickly started speaking to me, as though she needed to get the
words out, like she had been waiting all the service to tell me. This is what
she said…
‘God
will give you the desire of your heart, and it will happen in His time’.
I
remember bursting into tears as soon as she said it.
It
still gives me shivers just thinking about it. At the time I felt so humbled
that God had heard my prayer and sent his servant to relay His message to me.
There was no way I could explain this away the way I might have done if the
thought had popped into my own head. This lady at church is my friend, but we aren’t
super close and I had never before shared anything personal about my life with
her. The fact that she had used the exact phrase that I had been praying about
blew me away, and it still does!
We
prayed together and I went home feeling positive and excited about the next
stage of my life.
Months
later and I was still waiting.
You
see, even though God had clearly told me this would happen in His time, I was
still trying to make it happen in my own time. I would think, I would like it
to have happened before my birthday…before Christmas…before….
One
day as I felt overwhelmed with disappointment I began to think about what God
had said to me. Yes, He would give me the desire of my heart, and I believed it
with every part of me. Yes, it would happen in His time, and I was ok with
this. But I realised that I was still expecting His time to be in my time
frame.
I
began to realise…this might not happen for you in a few weeks, it might not
happen in a few months, and it might not even have happened by next year. This
is going to happen in God’s time, and that might not be anywhere near your idea
of what is right, or even perfect.
I had
been putting so much pressure on myself trying to make something happen, which
I had very little control over.
When
we are going through a challenging time we are vulnerable, and there is so much
the enemy will try and do in these times. In that season of my life I went
through a tonne of lies, comparison, feeling like I had failed and some really
sad moments. I questioned Gods love for me, and at times felt like He had left
me off the list of blessing, as I watched many people receive what I prayed
for.
That
time in my life, where I finally began to accept God’s timing, was such a breakthrough
for me. I began to relax, mentally and physically, as I realised that I didn’t have
to try and make something happen myself. I began to soak in God’s goodness, His
authority and His deep, deep love for me. I began to truly believe that what
God had given me right then in that moment was my portion, and that it was GOOD.
I
began to thank Him that I hadn’t received what I longed to receive. I thanked
Him that He knew the beginning from the end, that He knew what was good for me,
and that He would bless me in this way just at the right time, when I was
ready. I thanked Him for all the things He had given me now, for the things I
could do now that I wouldn’t be able to do when my life changed.
Thanking God for the very thing
He was yet to give me changed my mind set in a really powerful way.
There
were still moments that were hard, but there was also moments were I felt so
overwhelmed with Gods love, his kindness and mercy towards me and His hand on
my life. My God had not brought me so far to leave me. I began to see that God
was coming for me, in my despair and sadness. He was fighting for me when I
felt overwhelmed with emptiness.
If
you are struggling with waiting for your heart’s desire to be fulfilled, I
encourage you to accept God’s timing, to accept that this may not happen when
you want it to. That can be so hard and it can hurt. But by doing so, by
submitting to God, you enter into His rest, into a place of peace and joy and
hope that the world cannot give. I encourage you to thank Him for His wisdom
and goodness, and trust Him to lead you into all good things in His timing. Talk
to a trusted friend about your struggle, and know that you are uplifted in
prayer. Feel free to give me a message if you would like me to pray for you.
There is not a moment in your
life that God has left you.
This isn’t punishment; this is
the start of a miracle.
I was
looking over my journal and found Psalm 23 from The Passion translation which I
had written out. God has often used this Psalm to speak into my life, and I hope
it encourages you today.
‘The Lord is my best friend and
shepherd. I always have more than enough.
He offers a resting place for me
in His luxurious love.
His tracks take me to an oasis of
peace, the quiet brook of bliss.
That’s where He restores and
revives my life.
He opens before me pathways to
God’s pleasure and leads me along in His footsteps of righteousness so that I
can bring honour to His name.
Lord, even when Your path takes
me through the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer me, for You
already have!
You remain close to me and lead me
through it all the way.
Your authority is my strength and
peace!
The comfort of Your love takes
away my fear.
I’ll never be lonely for You are
near.
You become my delicious feast
even when my enemies dare to fight.
You anoint me with the fragrance
of Your Holy Spirit.
You give me all I can drink of
You until my heart overflows.
So why would I fear the future?
For Your goodness and love pursue
me all the days of my life.
Then, afterwards, when my life is
through, I’ll return to Your glorious presence to be forever with You’
I've been friends with these girls since I was 12 and they are still two of my bestest feiend's. We know each other like the back of our hands. Always thankful for them.
