Waiting for Success By Gina Sewell
Gina Sewell is a mom and grandma who lives in the Dallas, Texas area, where she enjoys cooking and spending time with her family. She loves to write about Jesus and encourage others. Gina shares her journey on her website: http://www.ginabartonsewell. wordpress.com
Are you in a season of waiting? Have you been praying to God endlessly for something, and nothing is happening? Well, did you ever think maybe God is waiting on you? Therefore, the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who wait for Him. Isaiah 30:18 (NKJV) I felt like there were so many things that God wanted me to do, but I wasn’t in a position to do them at that point, so I waited. I waited, and prayed, and cried, and got frustrated. I would ask, “How on earth am I supposed to serve the Lord if he doesn’t give me the tools that I need?” Then one morning, during my prayer time, God spoke to me. He said quite clearly, “If you are waiting on worldly successes before you can help others, then you never will. Worldly successes can never satisfy you, so there will be no end.” I saw this t-shirt at work. Actually, I have seen it many times because I walk right past it every day. It reads, “Bloom where you are planted,” across the front. I would think, “that’s cute,” as I passed by, then I would go on about my business. But one day, it spoke to me differently. I have been so upset, asking God, “why did you bring me here to just leave me in this situation?”, not realizing that he may be waiting on me.
Isaiah 30:20-21 (NKJV) says, And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction. Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers. Your eyes shall hear a word behind you saying, “this is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right hand and whenever you turn to the left.” So, I see now that God was waiting on me. He has brought me here to the wilderness so that I may go through the trials and tribulations that I must, to grow my character and make me more Christlike. But I must not worry or be afraid, because He is right here with me, teaching me, loving me, and waiting earnestly for the day He can truly give me the desires of my heart. Lacking worldly success doesn’t mean I can’t spread the gospel by introducing others to Jesus and helping them find their salvation. God has every intention of fulfilling His promises to us. But maybe He is just waiting on us to fulfill our promises to Him. Maybe He is just waiting on us to “bloom where we are planted.” Dear Heavenly Father, please help us realize that, even though we must endure trials in this world, that you are there with us. You are there, teaching us and guiding us and showing us in which way to go. Lord God help us not to forget what you are doing, so we may become better disciples for you. In Jesus’ precious name. Amen.
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