I recently spoke to two best friends and they shared an interesting story, which I, in turn, want to share with you. It's a great example of how impatient we can be when waiting on God to fulfill His promise in our lives. The process of seeing the manifestation of His word sometimes feels like a "Hurry Up and Wait" scenario, right?
I know you must be able to relate to this feeling!
Well, so can Lisa Powers, a young woman who shared her testimony with me. She and Sheena Wilson have been friends for years and they are faithful blog readers. Well, Lisa is a 27 year old executive at a NYC firm. She's the first black woman in her company to occupy such a high position at her age.
Months prior to being notified by her bosses, Lisa received a prophetic word saying, she would be approached about a major opportunity in her company.
Now, at the time, there was no opportunity in sight. In fact, prior to this, Lisa had been told that she didn't have enough seniority to climb any higher on the corporate ladder for a while.
Before receiving divine insight, truthfully, Lisa had settled into her position, without expecting anything to change--at least not any time in the near future. However, once hope for bigger and better things was ignited in her soul through the prophecy, she couldn't wait to see how things would pan out!
Sure enough, one day, Lisa was called into an impromptu corporate meeting. At first she thought she was in trouble. To her surprise, quite the opposite happened. She was finally given the good news! She had been chosen for a major promotion. Everything was already set to change over on the 1st of the year.
As you might imagine, Lisa was beside herself with ecstasy. She praised God and couldn't wait for 2008... her new beginning! She was certain that she would never doubt God again... after all, He had really proven Himself with this one.
Well, after the first and second week of the New Year rolled by without any news, Lisa quickly grew doubtful. Why hadn't she heard anything from those who promised the promotion?
When she got home from work one evening, she called up her girlfriend Sheena.
"Huhhh! I can't take all this waiting. This was supposed to be done by now... I'm so frustrated!" Lisa slumped down on her black leather sofa with her phone sandwiched between her shoulder and her ear, gabbing away, with a gallon of ice cream in one hand, and a big tablespoon in the other.
"It'll be fine," Sheena tried to reassure her friend. But Lisa was pretty bent out of shape.
"No, it's not fine," Lisa retorted, shoveling a spoonful of cookies and cream ice cream in her mouth. Lisa always eats when she feels depressed.
According to Sheena, Lisa can be really, really, impatient at times. And Lisa doesn't deny that this is a real character flaw. When she wants something, she wants it-- and I quote--"like yesterday."
Sheena, on the other hand, is calmer, more level-headed, and not as easily rattled. She always tries to help allay Lisa's anxieties, which is why she originally introduced Lisa to this blog several months ago.
As they sat on the phone, Sheena continued trying to help. "You just have to let the situation take its course Lisa. It'll all work out in the end. I know how you feel, but I also know that panicking about it won't change anything."
Lisa couldn't help wondering: Had she been passed over? Had her bosses misled her? Could she possibly have misunderstood? Had she been a fool to believe that she--one of the least likely candidates for promotion--really had a shot? All kinds of thoughts ran through her mind... none of them was positive, that's for sure
The real problem was that, Lisa was haunted by the fact that she was one of the least educated, least experienced, and least connected executives in her organization. She already felt inadequate in so many ways. This hurry up and wait process sure wasn't helping her faith any. Why should she believe anything good would happen for her?
So, when Lisa and Sheena hung up the phone that night, Lisa had no way of knowing exactly what was waiting for her the very next day.
Turns out that, there had been a slight delay with the paperwork, and upper management needed to pull some strings to complete the process. The position was given to Lisa as promised with retroactive pay!
All that time, Lisa was worried for nothing!
How often do we get frantic and bent out of shape just like Lisa? And for what?
I know it can be tough to hold onto your faith when things look like they won't happen. But, oh my friend, everything God has promised, HE WILL PERFORM IT! He cannot lie. Everything He's spoken is coming to pass. "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19 NAS)
Don't get weary while you're waiting.
Instead, rest in His promises and know beyond a shadow of doubt that delay is not denial. God has great blessings in store for you; learn to trust Him while you wait! "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; they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).
Until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!
Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com
