IF YOU HAD ONLY WAITED!!!

“Grandma, I want some juice.” “Just a minute, Caleb” “Grandma, I want some juice.” “I’ll be right there.” SPLASH, CRASH, TRICKLE, DRIP, drip, drip….. “Caleb, if you had only waited!” Does this scenario sound familiar? Caleb was having one of those days. Grandma was busy with Nathan, Caleb wanted juice and he wanted it now so he decided to take matters into his own hands with disastrous results. Now Caleb was unhappy, Grandma was frustrated and there was a big mess in the floor. If he had only waited, Caleb would have been enjoying a glass of juice and Grandma would have been relaxing with a cup of coffee in a clean kitchen. How many times has God looked down at the mess I have created and thought, “Susan, if you had only waited!” Most of the time my heart is in the right place, it is just that my mind becomes clouded by my desires and I think I can do it myself.

I have learned a lot about waiting in the recent weeks and months. At the beginning of the year, Steve and I began to seek God’s will for the ministry He has called us too. Doors began to open for us to speak on weekends and we met many wonderful people at several churches. Pastoral opportunities presented themselves, but as we would seek a confirmation from God, the door would close. There were times the waiting became difficult and we were tempted to work the situation out, but past experiences screamed NO and prevented another disaster. Finally, God opened the door to the opportunity he had created just for us. We walked through the door and have already begun to enjoy the blessings. We were asked to accept the pastorate, our house sold immediately, the perfect Tennessee house was available for rent, and life was rolling along on well-greased wheels. Suddenly, we hit a pothole and the waiting lesson began anew.

The owner of the “perfect” house called on Friday to tell us the deal on the house he was purchasing had fallen through so his house was no longer available for lease. How could that happen? Hadn’t God opened the door for the perfect house? Forgetting the blessings we had experienced through the waiting over the past month, I began to fret. Steve and I discussed our other two options during the long drive from Memphis to Morristown. Saturday evening, we again toured one of the choices. I had an unsettled feeling but convinced myself that it would be alright; I could live here. Maybe we could get a 6 month lease; surely I could stand it for 6 months. After a sleepless night, Sunday morning dawned. The unsettled feeling had not left and the thought came to me; “Susan, you know that unsettled feelings are not from God, you need to pay attention.” I made excuses; “I had no other options.” “It was a matter of pride.” “I was disappointed.” The feelings lasted as the church service began. Finally, in desperation, I raised my hands toward heaven and began to worship and praise God for His goodness. My mind cleared and I began to wait.

After church, on our way back to Saginaw, we stopped by the other house on our list for one last look. The living room looked bigger, the sun shone in brighter through the windows, the breeze blew across the deck a little softer and the peace of God flooded my soul. This was the house God had provided for us. Steve looked at me, I nodded and he said, “I think this is the one.” We signed a lease and headed for Saginaw, MI with a song in our heart. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” I am so thankful that there was no mess to clean up this time. What a comfort to know that God is faithful and He will clean up the messes but how much more glorious it is to experience the joy of waiting on the Lord.