Finding Blessings in God’s Delay
by Cynthia Jennings on August 12, 2020At some point in our lives we have sat in a hospital waiting room while a loved one had surgery, delivered a baby or waited on some type of testing result? During this time there are many ways we try to keep ourselves busy while waiting. We stand, sit, drink coffee, scroll through our phones and we even pace.
Hospital waiting rooms symbolize how we can feel during seasons of unanswered prayers. Unfortunately, when God seems to delay answering our prayer, we wonder if God loves us or if He has forgotten about us. It’s especially harder when it seems like God is answering everyone else’s’ prayers!
When we are in our waiting room season, it often feels like we just can’t bear another day. However, our waiting room time doesn’t have to be wasted time. I have had times in my waiting room season of continual praying for specific situations, I learned that in the space between what I’m waiting for and the actual outcome, God was working just as much on my heart as He was about my situation.
In 1 Samuel chapter 1, Hannah wrestled in a symbolic waiting room as she struggled with infertility. Not only was Hannah dealing with barrenness but she also lived with relatives who did not or chose not to understand her pain.
Hannah hit an emotional rock bottom did during her waiting room season. Although she hit an emotional rock bottom, she possessed strength she didn’t realize she had. Her strength was manifested in what she did, she took real feelings to God. Even her messy and angry and emotions. In this season she remembers God’s power and asks Him to make the impossible to happen in her life. During her waiting room season Hannah did something that is very difficult for most to do; she had a radical act of worship. Her radical act of worship consisted of her giving back to God before she ever receives from God!
Hannah shows us the path to finding blessing in God’s delay is to shift from the impatient mindset of “I’m waiting for God” to…. towards a gratitude base posture of “I’m worshipping God for….” As we worship God by remembering who He is, His faithfulness and His promises, we position ourselves to be blessed by His presence in our life. Worship also lifts the heavy burden of waiting from our life!
I want to point out, after Hannah prayed her circumstances remained the same, but she was different. “She went her way and ate something; her face was no longer sad.” After Hanna’s worship encounter with God, her heart and mind were uplifted although her waiting room journey was not over.
Are we like Hannah? Can we choose to worship rather than focusing on impatiently waiting?
PEARLStoPONDER: If you are in a waiting room season, don’t loose hope! Worship God and remember He is at work in you as much as He is at work in your circumstance.
1 Samuel 1:6-8-- 6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb. 7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
1 Samuel 1:10-11-- 10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. 11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
1 Samuel 1:18-- And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
Hospital waiting rooms symbolize how we can feel during seasons of unanswered prayers. Unfortunately, when God seems to delay answering our prayer, we wonder if God loves us or if He has forgotten about us. It’s especially harder when it seems like God is answering everyone else’s’ prayers!
When we are in our waiting room season, it often feels like we just can’t bear another day. However, our waiting room time doesn’t have to be wasted time. I have had times in my waiting room season of continual praying for specific situations, I learned that in the space between what I’m waiting for and the actual outcome, God was working just as much on my heart as He was about my situation.
In 1 Samuel chapter 1, Hannah wrestled in a symbolic waiting room as she struggled with infertility. Not only was Hannah dealing with barrenness but she also lived with relatives who did not or chose not to understand her pain.
Hannah hit an emotional rock bottom did during her waiting room season. Although she hit an emotional rock bottom, she possessed strength she didn’t realize she had. Her strength was manifested in what she did, she took real feelings to God. Even her messy and angry and emotions. In this season she remembers God’s power and asks Him to make the impossible to happen in her life. During her waiting room season Hannah did something that is very difficult for most to do; she had a radical act of worship. Her radical act of worship consisted of her giving back to God before she ever receives from God!
Hannah shows us the path to finding blessing in God’s delay is to shift from the impatient mindset of “I’m waiting for God” to…. towards a gratitude base posture of “I’m worshipping God for….” As we worship God by remembering who He is, His faithfulness and His promises, we position ourselves to be blessed by His presence in our life. Worship also lifts the heavy burden of waiting from our life!
I want to point out, after Hannah prayed her circumstances remained the same, but she was different. “She went her way and ate something; her face was no longer sad.” After Hanna’s worship encounter with God, her heart and mind were uplifted although her waiting room journey was not over.
Are we like Hannah? Can we choose to worship rather than focusing on impatiently waiting?
PEARLStoPONDER: If you are in a waiting room season, don’t loose hope! Worship God and remember He is at work in you as much as He is at work in your circumstance.
1 Samuel 1:6-8-- 6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb. 7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
1 Samuel 1:10-11-- 10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. 11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
1 Samuel 1:18-- And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
