Have you ever felt like God has forgotten about you?
Maybe you’ve been praying and asking God to change a situation but nothing has changed…for years. Maybe there is a dream you feel like God has placed in your heart but it is gathering dust.
When you believe God has forgotten you your heart is fertile ground for bitterness. When bitterness takes root nothing brings you joy. In fact, other people’s joy can even make you angry.
You’re not in a good place when you begin to feel like everyone is getting everything they want except for you.
When you feel forgotten by God it makes it hard to go to church. I mean how can you “worship” someone who doesn’t even seem to know you exist. It doesn’t help when you see lots of “happy” couples and “perfect” children which remind you of more unanswered prayers. You park by a nicer car than yours and you feel like God’s stepchild. It seems like everyone is enjoying the life God forgot to give you.
How do you keep from growing bitter? How do you not lose faith?
As you read through the Bible one theme seems to be clear. People of faith had to wait…a lot. So you’re in good company. I would even say normal. Stronger faith seems to come from longer times of waiting.
Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. -Psalm 27:14
You might feel like rolling your eyes, but this wasn’t written by someone who never waited. It was written by someone whose life was filled with lots of twists and turns…with long periods of waiting. As a young boy David, the author, is overlooked. In one bit of history that’s recorded for us, Samuel the Prophet is sent to Bethlehem to anoint a new king for Israel. He doesn’t know who the new king is, just that he was to be found among Jesse’s children. Jesse brings “all” of his sons out for the prophet to pick the best one. But none of the sons are the one God has in mind. Samuel has the awkward job of asking Jesse if he has any more sons. How does someone ask that question without insinuating you’re not a good father? Prophets typically don’t shy away from speaking the truth. Come to find out Jesse does have another son. A son he doesn’t believe is king material. A son he doesn’t think has what it takes. All this son is good for is watching sheep. Jesse doesn’t even bother to invite David to join the family for dinner.
David is anointed the future king of Israel. Imagine what that must have felt like…all your financial worries are over, no one will ever look down on you again, you’ll never be forgotten again, you instantly matter. God has picked you! A future wasn’t just whispered in his heart it was poured over his head by the highest religious authority in the land.
But David wasn’t ready to be king. God spent the next 15 years getting David ready. As you read the rest of David’s story (1 Sam. 16-2 Sam., 1 Kings 1-2) it wasn’t the only time he felt forgotten by God. David knows a thing or two about waiting. It makes reading his writings a bit more interesting….
Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. –Psalm 5:3
Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. –Psalm 37:7
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. –Psalm 40:1
You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress. –Psalm 59:9
I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. –Psalm 62:1
Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. –Psalm 62:5
I am worn out waiting for your rescue, but I have put my hope in your word. –Psalm 119:81
Maybe you can relate?
Waiting is part of the journey. Waiting is one of the primary tools God uses to mature your soul. If you aren’t clued into that fact you can be offended by God unnecessarily. You might feel like it’s a personal vendetta against you. Like maybe your hopes and dreams are just that….hopes and dreams…until you realize that all of God’s star players went through the same training.
God knows exactly where you are. He hasn’t forgotten you or the dream He whispered in your heart.
God knows you’re on the back 40 watching sheep no one cares about. God knows you are in the waiting room.
So why are you in the waiting room?
1. Sometimes we wait because we aren’t ready.
Just like David there are some lessons you need to learn about yourself and God. God needs to do some character development work in you before He sends you to do your greater purpose. God is getting you ready.
Instead of asking God to hurry up and change your situation ask Him what character trait He is trying to develop within you.
2. Sometimes we wait because what we ask for isn’t ready.
The job, the person, the dream isn’t ready. God is working behind the scenes. We often assume because we are waiting it means God isn’t doing anything. But God is always at work. We can’t see what he is doing in someone’s heart. We can’t see the pieces he is moving behind the scenes.
The ability to wait expectantly and not freak out is a sign of spiritual maturity.
When my kids come home from school they ransack the cabinets in search of food. You would think they haven’t seen food for weeks! My sweet wife typically lets them have a small snack, but it’s never enough. They want whatever they want whenever they want it.
The younger ones can’t wait for dinner. They are convinced they will die of starvation before dinner is ready. Dinner takes longer than they think they have the capacity to wait. The youngest ones about drive us crazy asking every 5 minutes when dinner will be ready!
While they are asking we are busy getting things together. Can’t they see we are working on it?
I wonder if my prayers make God feel like He is dealing with a first grader who can’t wait for dinner?
What God has planned for you takes time. It takes time to gather and prepare all of the ingredients. And it takes time for you to get ready.
If you feel like you’ve been waiting a long time be encouraged. It means God has something big he is cooking up. It also means God thinks you have the maturity to wait. So wait well.
Don’t give up hope. Your waiting can end with one text, one phone call, or one email.
Remember God knows exactly where you are and when you are.
