Waiting is not something in this society we do well. Everything is quick or instant. Our world around us and technology offers us instant updates, instant messages, fast downloads, real time emails no matter where you are, instant rewards, minute meals, overnight shipping, instant cash loans, complete automation of tasks, and even five-minute devotionals.

We live in a period of time where instant gratification is possible for most things and we can automate aspects of our life so we don’t have to think about it later. Sounds great … right?

Well what about when it comes to our relationship with God. God isn’t driven by time and space. As a result, our daily demands of “now” flow into our relationship with God and its hard not to experience a clash in the two ways of living life. Before we know it, our question of Why isn’t God answering my prayer flows into How long do I have to wait and progresses to Where are you God?

How quickly our thoughts progress from one to the other. We perceive waiting further on God implies His abandonment or else permission to go ahead with our own idea. But in reality, God isn’t concerned with “instant” but rather growth, intimacy with Him, and obedience to His Will for us. Clearly that can’t be accomplished in an instant or by automation.

Our move to North Carolina wasn’t instant but required much waiting … over two years of waiting. There were times we felt nothing was happening and questioned whether we heard God right, other days we fought discouragement. But we still clung to God in faith (some days just barely) knowing He HAD to be at work even though we couldn’t see any progress.

We now see that what we learned in that time of waiting couldn’t have been learned any other way. Not only did we grow closer together as a family, grow in our individual walks with God and our faith, but God also developed things within us that were all preparation for what He had ready for us once we moved.

Having now lived here for nearly six months, we are still continuing to see God’s answers to prayer from that time of waiting wondering if in His silence, He was listening. God has allowed us to see some of the incredible behind the scenes working that He was doing all along. We just smile, shake our heads, and are just amazed at how He thought of everything! Had we given up or jumped ahead of Him, we would have missed out on what He planned for us.

No matter what we’re going through, God is at work in us and our situations—even if it appears nothing is happening. He hears our prayers instantly but at times we must wait for God to work out His answer.

Our question in the waiting shouldn’t be How long do I have to wait or Where are you God but instead What would you have me learn about You today Lord. It may be growth or healing He’s trying to work in us or it may be just a lesson in faith and trust in God. He never sleeps or slumbers but is always at work on our behalf.

Waiting may be contrary to our daily life, but it’s what God commands us to do sometimes when we allow Him to be in the driver’s seat.

As the evening breeze blows gently through the windows of our temporary apartment, I’m reminded of the movement God has done in our lives this past month.

We packed up our belongings, closed on the sale of our home, loaded a trailer and our vehicles, left everything familiar to us, made the 1,966 mile trek across 9 states, arrived Palm Sunday in our new hometown, set up our makeshift temporary home with minimal belongings, and got plugged into a new church family.

It’s been a bit of a whirlwind when I sit back and look at it all, but what I remember most is the incredible peace from God we have felt this past month!

The journey of this move began a little over two years ago. Stepping out in faith, God showed us what was next and led us accordingly. The wait for God’s perfect timing was often excruciating, but the uncertainties began to slowly fade in the background as we saw God’s clear orchestration before us. Without a doubt, God was in control and He knew the work needed to be done to prepare us for this move.

After just two weeks in our new state, the blessings of God’s orchestration and leading He began in us so long ago, is gradually being realized. All the growth, learning, and preparation God did in us brought us to where we are today and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Waiting on God’s perfect timing was no easy task, but I’m so glad we didn’t jump ahead of His plan for us. We are privileged to stand back now and be amazed at God’s goodness and how intricately He knows our every need before even we do!

There are still unknowns ahead of us, but isn’t that part of life? One thing I’ve learned is living a planned, predictable life isn’t what God desires. I’ve also learned that God is stirring up a movement in people … but we choose if we will join Him.

I’ve spent half my life in this town of Colorado—nearly all my adult life. I came to visit family in this town as a child and never cared for it because of the desert brown surroundings that was a far cry from the many green trees I was used to. Now that I’m getting ready to leave this town and move to the lush green area God has for us, I find myself reflecting back on the past 22 years that I’ve called this town home.

I drove into town with my belongings, a fearful and pain-filled young adult. The brown desert view reflected how I felt inside. Running, scared, and confused, I tried to create a new life for myself. Pain was the roommate I could never kick out the first 22 years, no matter how hard I tried. I remember telling my mentor, When will this pain ever end?

Looking back, my time in this town has felt like a rebuilding process–a time of assessing the damage, cleaning out the mess, and rebuilding. To be quite honest, every step of the way felt torturous, but I was relentless to keep on. God never dropped me but held me close to His side. I see now His constant presence was what kept me going.

Slowly, trials and obstacles turned into one step of obedience to God at a time out of the darkness. Pain and chaos vanished and joy and peace arrived. Fear melted away while trust in God emerged.

The frail but spitfire of a young woman I was first driving into town that day in May of 1990, feels like a distant memory. It’s hard to imagine myself where I used to be … but what is crystal clear is the reality of my life that God transformed.

I leave this town not feeling remodeled, but rebuilt. God didn’t just throw on a coat of paint in my life to cover up imperfections. He stripped me down to the bare dirt ground—not to inflict pain—but so he could begin to rebuild my foundation and framework to create the woman He desired me to be.

As I move forward to the next phase of this journey called life that God has for me, I’m energized, hopeful, excited, and can’t wait to see what God has next. It’s a start in a new chapter of my life’s story.

Take time today to reflect back on your life. It may be you’d rather forget segments, but don’t skip over. God was there in those times … lovingly waiting for you. Don’t miss an opportunity to remember what God has done in your life.