Good things come to those who wait on God

Good things come to those who wait

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

Hawaii 2017

August 2017

As I opened the freezer door, trying to put away groceries, I felt like I heard God say  the word “wait.” 

“Wait on what God?” I muttered under my breathe as I couldn’t think of what I might need to wait on.

I even wrote the above in my journal the next day, asking God again what he meant. No reply.

Several days later, I told my husband I could not figure out what to write about this week and we prayed about it in our prayer time together Wednesday morning and proceed with our day.

 Much of my day was spent on the phone trying to get our phone service, internet and television bundled and some things worked out with our health insurance. Needless to say, hours of my morning and afternoon were spent waiting on the telephone, being put “on hold” and trying to accomplish my task.

I finally went to the local phone/internet store to get things straighten out and while i was there, I received a text from my husband that said, “write about being on hold, God never puts us on hold.” I chuckled and quickly turned my attention back to the sales person helping me.

Later, as I pondered my husbands text, I remembered the incident at the freezer and quickly realized God was answering my prayer and I was to write this week about waiting on God. God never pushes the “hold” button in our lives and says, “ I am too busy and need to talk to someone else,” but I believe he does have us wait on his timing for things and because he is a good God and sees the big picture. He always has time for us, makes us a priority, is not too busy, loves to talk to us and always wants to partner with us in our lives. I think he could really teach some businesses about good customer service!

I am a “get it done girl” so moving slowly is not my speciality, however,  I have learned many things as I have waited on God to answer prayers or for the right timing for things.

Isaiah 40:31 states,”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. (KJV)

The word wait in this verse has a different meaning in the Hebrew language it was written in than our modern day language. In this verse, wait means to bind together or strengthen. As we bind ourselves to the Lord in our waiting, it changes us, makes us stronger and strengthens us and our relationship with God. It prepares us for our future. God sees what we need developed in our lives for the days ahead.

Please remember it is two totally different things to simply wait on something and wait on God to change things. When we commit things to God, it changes everything. What do you need to commit to his perfect timing?

In my own life, I have found three important things about waiting:

1. It reveals our character-good qualities and what need to change

2. Waiting is more about who we become in the process 

3. Our relationship with God can be upgraded and become stronger

How we wait on something usually reveals our character. It can show our impatience, anger, unforgiveness, lack of faith or it shows patience, gentleness, kindness, forgiveness, and trust. Next time you find yourself waiting, see what comes out of you. Does your character need an upgrade and need to change or do you see yourself treat others and the situation like God would?

Waiting is more about who we become in the process of waiting than the answer immediately unfolding. It is always more about the journey than the destination. God is more concerned about conforming us to His image and changing us to become more like him. As we wait on God, it can work things out of us and good things into us.  If I feel myself getting impatient about something, it always helps if I step back in my heart and pray, “God, what do you want to work in me and out of me?” Partnering with God always puts us in a win-win situation.

As I commit things to God and bind myself to him I find myself talking to him more throughout the day and I have more joy. When I commit things to him, I can trust he is working things for my good. Trust is always built by relationship and God is always concerned with us getting to know him more. He loves us dearly and wants us to know more of his great love and his character. I trust him so much more now than I did years ago because our relationship has been strengthened. Not all of my prayers have been answered like I would have chosen, but I know God in a much more intimate way that has much more peace, joy and confidence into my life.

Recent trip to Hawaii to see our son and his family

Psalms 27:14 instructs us and says, “Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (NIV) 

God works in ways we often cannot see and I love the lyrics of a popular song, “he is in the waiting.” When we find him in the waiting, it can put our heart at rest because we know he is at work and something is happening.

After spending almost 5 hours on the phone and with customer service representatives, I came out ahead, accomplishing my goal and saving hundreds of dollars. God was in the waiting saving me money and I had a fun journey with him, even though accomplishing my goal took much longer than expected.

I have dreams in my heart and other  things in my life I have prayed about for years and I am still waiting on God, however, I am confident in his plan, have committed these things to him, and know he sees the big picture and is at work.

My friend, if God has not answered your prayers yet, commit things to him, partner with him in the waiting, and enjoy the journey. You will find he is working things out for your good,  preparing you and strengthening you because he loves you so much! 

Kathleen is a native of the Hill Country and is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth. Contact her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog on www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com

When things do not go as you expect, it's time to find God

When things do not go as you expect, find God

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

copyright July 2017

Sunset at Amistad 

Recently, I have had several friends that have dealt with some difficult, unexpected news and things not going as they had planned.  My heart has hurt for them, as I have been in similar situations in my own life; however, it was in those challenging places I found God right there in the middle- in the big challenges as well as the little ones. It was also in that place, my faith and trust in Him grew, forever shaping and changing me.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I were fishing on Lake Amistad. I love spending the day with him at the lake and having the opportunity to just be with God on the water. I frequently pray and ponder things in the peaceful setting as I try to learn to fish.

“Lord, I commit today to you,” I prayed as I looked at my surroundings and then picked up my fishing gear. I have been working on improving my casting and could not wait to practice with my new rod and reel. As I gazed out over the water, I selected the spot I thought would be perfect to catch a fish. Right as I began to cast, a huge gust of wind swept across the water and my cast went totally opposite of where I wanted it to go.

“Well that did not go as I expected,” I chuckled as I quickly began to reel my lure towards the boat and thinking, what a waste of time and energy. About that time, I felt a hit on my bait, set the hook and much to my surprise, began to pull a good size fish closer to the boat! 

The very place that was a disappointment and I thought would be a waste of time and effort because my cast did not land as expected, had been productive after all. I think that is true in many other places in real life in big and small daily life events.

Psalms 37:5 states, “Commit you way to the Lord, trust in him and he will do this.” When we commit our day and way to the Lord, we can trust that God is in the middle of events of the day and can trust him even when things do not go as we plan or expect. I have found the adventure in each day as I try to find God in the middle of whatever is unexpected in my life. When we see God in our circumstances, somehow it makes the unexpected OK. and peaceful.

I have had my share of sudden unwanted surprises in my life-my late husband was battling cancer, my grandson was diagnosed with Type One diabetes, my dad was in the hospital with a 90% blockage in his heart, work crisis are just a few I’ll name. In each of these situations, as I’ve committed them to the Lord and ask for his perspective, my heart could rest and I have had encounters with God in amazing ways. I have found Him in each of these situations and that is a treasure.

One of my daily prayers is, “God, give me your perspective of this.” “I want to see this as you see it because often my natural thinking needs some adjusting. God is good and he is faithful to always give me a better perspective, change my heart, and help me to be more like him.

A few months ago Stephen and I were traveling with another couple. On our way to the airport, we encountered some road work that caused a detour we had not counted on. This made us a few minutes late for our flight and we were bumped to another flight. As my friend apologized because we had to sit at the airport for four more hours, I smiled and said, “It is alright, I am going to find the divine appointment God for me.” I had prayed that morning, “God I commit today and my life to you; it is all yours.” I could be at peace in the delay and look for God as my life and time belong to him.

As I sat down in my seat on the plane, a young girl that was 20 years old sat beside me. We began talking asking each other casual questions and then began talking about God. For 3 1/2 hours, I visited with this young lady, answering question after question she had about a deeper relationship with Jesus. It was such an honor for me to invest in her life. I found God in the middle of our flight delay and even though we got home much later than expected, it did not matter, God was in the delay and my life belongs to him. 

I challenge you to commit your day and situations to God and  look for him when the unexpected knocks at your door. God is a relational God and loves to partner with us each day. Go on the treasure hunt of finding him in your situations and you will find peace. Faith and trust are outcomes of taking His hand and walking with Him. Life does not always make sense but we can have fun in the journey when we find Him in the unexpected.

Kathleen is a native of the Hill Country and is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth. Contact her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog on www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com