My timing is not the same as God’s. He exists and works outside the dimensions of time as you and I know it, but His ways and His times are far better than anything we can comprehend.
2MefromHim Devotionals
Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand). Jeremiah 33:3 AMP
“You were so much on my mind that I had to call.”
Precious words from a beloved friend. A miraculous sign of the behind the scenes working of God in the circumstances of our lives. A source of hope to a hurting heart. A reminder that my times are in His hands
The workings of God are on a timetable not remotely related to our own. I was reminded of waiting to adopt our children. Though relatively short in the world of adoption, they were no less painful or prayed over than others that take longer. God knows the perfect time when His desired work will be completed in our hearts, as well as in the hearts of those we are praying for.
There was a day when I remained in bed, so full of hurt and longing for a child that I could not even tell my husband why I was crying. The doctor’s resources had been exhausted. I felt forever trapped in a body that would not function as it should, in a life that was denied its greatest longing.
Late on that memorable day, when the tears had all been spent, I knew in my heart that it was time to forever relinquish my desire to give birth to a child, accepting God’s will as to whether or not we had a family. Now I can see that God was there, and in time He gave us two children, such precious sources of joy and hope.
When we pray “Lord, whatever it takes,” we are often not prepared for the “whatever.” It can be ugly and painful, but if it is from God, it will succeed. We want our answers now, but more often God makes us wait, leading us on a rugged and rocky path that makes us think He has forgotten. When answers to prayer are delayed, it causes us to pray with ever-increasing intensity, therefore participating with Him in accomplishing something greater than we could ever imagine.
When my friend called, I was reminded of that time of waiting, so many years ago. The encouragement of her prayers gave me the certainty that God is working now as He did then. I may not see it, but this situation is in God’s hands as surely as that was, and my prayers will be answered in His way and time.
© Norma Gail Thurston Holtman, March 12, 2015
About the author:
Norma Gail’s debut contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, released in April 2014. She has led weekly women’s Bible studies for 19 years. Her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the StitchesthruTime blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, FaithWriters, Romance Writers of America, and the New Mexico Christian Novelists. She and her husband of 38 years have two adult children.
Connect with Norma:
www.normagail.org
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNormaGail
https://plus.google.com/b/102717101441594679714/+Normagail/about/p/pub
http://pinterest.com/normagailth/boards/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7874459.Norma_Gail
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/norma-gail-thurston-holtman/42/71a/3b2
https://twitter.com/Norma_Gail
Book links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Land-My-Dreams-Norma-Gail/dp/1941103170/ or
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/land-of-my-dreams-norma-gail/1119606864 ?ean=9781941103173
Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas Bookstore: http://store.lpcbooks.com/product/land-of-my-dreams/
14 Comments
So insightful! lovely article!
Thank you, Kimberly! I’m so glad it meant something to you. I really appreciate you taking time to comment!
A beautiful, tear-jerking post. Love you!
Thank you, Marcie! God works all things for good. We are very blessed!
Norma, God often makes us wait, doesn’t He? Thanks for sharing your story.
Thanks for taking time to comment, Sandy! Sometimes the greatest blessings come when we wait!
I’ve been there too Norma. I can look back and see that He brought beauty from ashes. His ways are so much higher than my ways.
Thanks for taking time to comment! I appreciate it!
I love what you share here and so agree with the part where you talk about “participating with intensity with Him” in the waiting place. That is where I see the most growth and the most miraculous workings of God in my life and the lives of others. Blessings!
Blessings that come through trials are always precious. Thank you for the encouragement!
I was just talking about that scripture to a friend two days ago, except I couldn’t remember where in Jeremiah it was. “great and unsearchable things you did not know” – that is the way I remember it. My husband prays that before he delves into his Bible study.
I’m going through a humbling period right now (that I know you will sympathise with). I got my first two rejections from agents and they didn’t even want to see the rest of the book. So I need to remember that my prayers will be answered in his time and his way. xo
Yes, they will. He is so faithful. Thank you for sharing with me. God bless your writing efforts.
I’m in a waiting place now…so it was very encouraging to read this today. Thank you.
I am so glad you found it helpful, Tracie! God bless your wait.