This post is for the woman who has been waiting for a long-awaited desire, which the Lord placed within her. During the journey for long-awaited desires, there are lessons the Lord teaches us about who He is, and there are opportunities (if we allow) to be sanctified by the Holy Spirit along the journey. There are beautiful things which come in the waiting; even so, a question may arise in our minds amid the wait journey along the lines of “Is it worth it?”
The question of is waiting on the Lord worth it might arise at different moments. Perhaps, it comes when someone close to you receives the long-awaited desire you have been waiting for, and they did not wait as long as you have been waiting. It may come up as you are faced with the reality of none of the men you have met over the years reflects the qualities the Lord put within you to desire in a man. Maybe, it comes up when you hit an age where the window to bear children begins to close. In essence, the reality you are experiencing or facing looks more dire than hopeful—this is arguably one of the most painful parts of a long wait journey.
So, what can we do in response when the question of is waiting on the Lord worth it arises? There is a passage toward the end of John 6, which the Lord continues to bring to my mind that I pray the Lord uses to minister to you amid the pain in your long wait. John writes,
“Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:57-69).
Following Jesus will never be the easier journey through life on this fallen earth, and part of the journey includes waiting on Him. We just read in John 6 how MANY who were following Jesus walked away from Him because they did not understand His teaching. Sisters-in-Christ, as we follow Jesus, there are going to be days in our long wait journey where we do not understand why He has us waiting still. In addition, why He does not take away the desire altogether until it is time for Him to fulfill it, for if He did, we could avoid the pain of longing and disappointment.
The Lord is aware of the pain of unanswered why questions, which come at times in long wait journeys. This is why it is also important we go to the Lord directly in His Word. There are numerous instances such as Abraham and Sarah and Hannah in the Old Testament, and Elizabeth and Zechariah and Simeon where they had long wait journeys and God fulfilled the desires He put within them. The way He fulfilled their desires was in such a way where it was clear no one else could get the glory, honor, and praise except Him.
In addition, though the desire we are waiting on has not been fulfilled in our own lives, we can choose to focus on all the ways the Lord shows us that waiting on Him is worth it. He shows us this through the lives of those close to us by giving us the pleasure of witnessing the same desire being fulfilled in their life. It is a blessing the Lord is giving you in getting to see how waiting on Him is indeed worth it. Allow it to encourage you to persevere and not give up in your wait journey.
One more thing we can do when the question of is it worth it to wait on the Lord is reflect. Sisters-in-Christ, let us take the time to reflect on our own lives and how the Lord in other areas of our lives in His kindness exceeded prayers and did it in such a way that there was no other explanation but Him.
So, is it worth waiting on the Lord for the desire for marriage. Is it worth it to wait on the Lord for a child. Is it worth it to wait on the Lord for a job. This list goes on and on for what we wait on the Lord for because life is full of wait journeys. We have a choice in how we respond when we are faced with the question. We can either be like the many who walked away from Jesus because following Him became too hard, or we can be like Peter who spoke for himself and the other original disciples.
Let us choose to respond with a posture Peter did by recognizing there is no better person to wait on except the Lord because He is an incredible Father to us. We know this from how He has answered in our lives in other areas and in the lives of others.
Believe that the Lord has not forgotten you. Be confident that He does intend on fulfilling the desire He put within you. Moreover, expect His timing will take longer than you want, and trust the waiting will indeed be worth it.
All Bible verses are from Holy Bible: New International Version