Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalms 27:14
God Will Make A Way
The journey of Chrisitan faith is a winding road. At times, you will stand on your own two feet, and sometimes, you will stay on your knees. Of course, no one likes a trial. No one wakes up in the morning, stretches, and says, “Ah, what a beautiful day for a trial! I think I’d like to have a trial today!” But that doesn’t mean one won’t come.
There is a saying that goes like this: You are either out of a storm, in a storm, or going into a storm. And I completely agree.
Every Wednesday, I have intercessory prayer for others. Each week for the last three years, I post a graphic and invite those who want prayer to send me their prayer requests. I usually get over 100 requests, and some even inbox me on Facebook or Instagram. Each Wednesday, I usually pray from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
A few months ago, I had to take a state exam to complete my educator certification for where I live. I had taken and passed a similar test last year, but when I took this test, I failed. In fact, I failed it twice. Now, I don’t think I am dumb, and I felt like I studied. Why couldn’t I pass this test?
I was praying to pass, and I didn’t. I was discouraged and disappointed. I kept asking God why I couldn’t pass this test. I heard nothing about the test. I kept waiting on the Lord to answer my prayer — meanwhile, God answered my prayer requests for other people. Here’s what’s funny. Normally, when people ask me to pray for them, they rarely come back to tell me if the prayer was answered; but during the last three months, those who requested kept reporting back to me that my prayers for them were being answered. I was so excited until I got those test results.
I woke up at 3:21am one morning and asked God, “What am I doing wrong here?” Still, I got no answer. I remember telling my father, “I am not taking that test again,” to which he asked, “What will you do?” I couldn’t teach without passing that test. I said, “I don’t know, but God will make a way.”
Prayer and Waiting on the Lord
So for two weeks, I said nothing and did nothing but pray and wait on the Lord. Well, week one passed. No answer. Then, week two went by, and I still had no clue. Finally, I posted on Facebook, “I am in a holding phase.” What I have learned in 50 years of living is if you don’t hear instructions from God, then stand still. I stood still. The school year ended and still no answer. Meanwhile, my principal was waiting for me to pass this test, so I could move on with plans for next year.
Last Monday, I prayed with my prayer partner about the situation and said I was going to wait on the Lord. Two hours later, I had a conversation with a former coworker that lead me to a meeting about a teaching job in a city not far from my family. I am already certified in that state. And this week, I accepted the job and not only will I teach but be the principal of the small Christian school.
God’s Time and Our Time
I don’t need those test results anymore. See, God was working on putting me in a position to be open to moving to be a principal. He closed every door, so I would only be able to see what He wanted me to see. God’s time and our time are rarely the same, but I will stand and testify any day of the week that God’s timing is always best.
I am glad I learned the lesson of standing still and allowing God to fix my problems. I have tried too many times to fix my own mess, and I often made them worse. This time, I listened to that still small voice and stood still. God took care of all my problems. Lesson learned.
This devotion originally appeared on Devotable written by Paula Sanders Blackwell
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