Pray While You're Prey Devotion For Singles, Part VIIChikamu

Patiently Waiting

Quote from Pray While You’re Prey:

“My problem with asking [God] for what I want is not being able to wait for Him to give it to me.”

One day, I went to get a pedicure. I arrived and was greeted cheerfully by the owner. She and her employee were busy with clients, but she told me to have a seat in the chair and one of them would be with me or another employee would arrive. I settled into the chair, a massage chair, and just relaxed and waited. It was about forty-five minutes before the employee arrived that was supposed to do my pedicure. There were more apologies, and then, I got one of the best, most-relaxing, beautifully-done pedicures that I have ever gotten. I even got to continue sitting in the massage chair while my toes dried. After a while, it was hard to get up, but I had to eat dinner. In that moment, I realized that waiting patiently is not all that bad. The experience ended up being rewarding, and did I mention, relaxing.

As I sat to write this devotion, I realize that I only used the word “patience” once in the book, Pray While You’re Prey, I never knew that. In retrospect, I would imagine that it is because patience has been an issue for me. Waiting on God has been an issue for me. When I want something, I want it when I want it and how I want it. But God has shown me that it is best for me to wait for what He wants for me, when He wants it and how He wants it because what He wants for me surpasses every expectation of which I could ever dream.

It is not easy to wait patiently. It takes faith and courage. Right now, I have students who, with good intentions, are trying to think of people for me to date. They are teenagers and thirty-five seems really old to them, so they cannot wrap their brains around the fact that I am not married and do not have any children. To be honest, it is hard for me to wrap my brain around it at times. I look at my friends who have husbands and are having babies or even watching children graduate from high school and I wonder if it will ever be my turn. Yet I know that God has an amazing plan for my life, so I have to wait on Him, not just in my singleness, but for my career moves and for everything in my life.

Others may not understand why I or you do not just step out and make something happen. That is okay. Trust me, I have tried things my way and I like God’s way much better. It is not always the easy way or the fastest way, but it is the way that is worth it! Because He is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. Wait patiently on God. Don’t stop living your life; just surrender your life to God and allow Him to move. Waiting patiently is an act of courage and He will be with you.

Prayer

Thank You, God for being a God that may delay, but does not deny my desires. 

Please forgive me for trying to rush You into giving me what I want.

Lord, please help me to wait with expectation that I will receive Your favor for Your glory.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen