Waiting.

I wish I was better at waiting. The American culture has taught us to want the immediate and get what we want when we want it. Unfortunately, I think we all know that life is not like this all the time.  Waiting is hard, but God's timing is perfect. When I think about the desires I have, people would say I have good desires, but I have learned we have to trust God's timing for things in our lives. 

One of my new favorite examples of God's providence is at the beginning of the book of Nehemiah. Probably like many of you, Nehemiah is not a book many of you read or turn to first for encouragement. I can admit I was not one of those people either. So why Nehemiah? What was Nehemiah's desire?  Nehemiah wanted to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the broken walls and the gates. This was a good desire of Nehemiah; he sought God in prayer, remembering His faithfulness and his love (Neh. 1:5-11).  Nehemiah's prayer demonstrates the kind of committed relationship he had with God. 

The one prayer written out in chapter one is just one of many prayers, Nehemiah prayed before he took action before the king, trusting in the sovereignty of God. In the  first chapter, Nehemiah prayed for four months, before he took any action before the king. I am amazed by this story, seeing God's hand working not only through hearing Nehemiah's prayers but also in the king's heart.

Even when we are waiting, we can trust that   God's timing is perfect. He knows what we need in our seasons of waiting, he knows the answers we seek for, and the longing desires we seek to be fulfilled.

Today, I went on a five mile hike with my life group from church.  I knew it was going to be a challenge, a huge challenge to not sprain my ankles, because those who know me best know I have weak ankles. My friend, who is so full of the hope of Jesus prayed this simple prayer, Jesus, help us find a walking stick for Joy. Alas, as her and another friend looked up they saw a walking stick. It was exactly what I needed to get up and get down mountain without spraying my ankles. Today, I saw God's care for me and how his timing is perfect to give me the things I need. 

And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Matthew 6:28-29