This week I have been reflecting on “my ways” versus “God’s ways” for my life. Sometimes we make plans for our lives and we are sure that those plans are what God wants for us. But when those plans don’t manifest the way we expected, then we get confused. Were we wrong with our plans? Or should we wait until God’s perfect timing, which is usually not ours? I don’t know what the right answer is but I do know that God’s plans are better than ours. Here is a scripture that helped me in a recent situation. Isaiah 55: 8-9 (NLT) “My thoughts are completely different from yours,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
I also want to share with you one of the devotionals from my book, Devotions for Working Women, that will encourage you to wait on the Lord.
Wait Expectantly on the Lord
# 143
Psalm 5:3 (NLT)
Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.
David’s plea to the Lord was a daily act of faith. Every morning he talked to God and made his requests known to Him. He then waited on God and expected Him to listen to his prayers and answer them. We often treat God as a magician. We tell Him what we want and expect Him to respond immediately, like magic! We don’t wait patiently on Him. Other times we pray to God and don’t even expect Him to hear or answer our prayer. Then we get discouraged and stop asking altogether. We lose our faith in God. Both extremes are wrong. We are to ask God to meet our needs and wait expectantly as David did.
When we wait on the Lord we put our faith, hope, and trust in Him. This act blesses God. He then gives us the grace we need to wait until His answer manifests. We must learn to wait patiently because His timetable is not ours. He knows what’s best for us and that includes the right time. When His timing comes, He will give us a solution better than any we would have thought of on our own.
If you need change in your workplace, a new boss, a different job, or want to change fields, wait expectantly from the Lord. Expect to receive whatever He thinks is best for you, not just what you asked Him for. Once you give your request to Him, sincerely believe in your heart that He will answer your prayer and thank Him in advance for the answer.