“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

That verse, along with many others, gives me hope. They help me to trust in the Lord’s perfect timing, to accept the truth that this waiting is not a mistake, that His plans for me will come to fruition in His time, and in His way. I am so quick to lose sight of why I trust in Him, but in His love, He brings me back to where I should be every time.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” ~ 1 Peter 5:6-7

I always feel like I’m putting something off, or not taking the next step, during times of waiting … but just like there is a reason for the things we desire and are waiting for, there’s also a reason for the waiting.

In that time, we grow. We change. We learn.

But the truth is, I struggle to release all aspects of my life to Him because of my desire for things to go a certain way, and waiting on Him sometimes seems pointless and a waste of time.

But that is not so.

In life, there are two options for me when it comes to decision-making. The first is the easy one, where everything goes my way, in my timing, and the way I think I want it to go; I take the situation into my own hands. The second option is the difficult one, my second choice by default, for it takes trusting in Him, and exhibiting perseverance and patience … it takes faith … to leave the situation in His hands.

The easy way looks soooo appealing at first! Everything comes quickly and appears to go perfectly. But the harder way, His way, has an infinitely better outcome, for the blessings that enter my life when I have faith in the Lord are far greater than when I make hasty decisions.

So, yes, it is true, for example, that I want to look into continuing my education by browsing colleges online and making plans. But the moment I said, “You know what, Lord? I will be happier if I wait on Your timing instead of figuring things out for myself,” it was only a few days later when I knew what to pursue. He gave me a way to continue my education, for free and at home, both right now and once I graduate; by studying different topics I’m interested in, using articles online and books I find at the library. I’ll talk a bit more about what subjects I’ll be learning about for this Thursday’s prompt!

If I ever do go to college, it will be because He leads me there. It’s the same for my first job, the trip to Guatemala, and everything else I pursue in life.

Because I have given it all to Him, He beautifully orchestrates my life in His timing, not my own.

Learning to trust Him in all these times of waiting have truly helped me to exhibit patience in my life. ❤

— Maggie