"Good things come to those that wait."
Many years ago, God spoke to me as I was driving along the road. "I'm going to give you that house." He said. I looked over to my right and there stood a magnificent house, but I didn't need a house, and this house needed a lot of work. I told God that. Next thing I know, the house is going through a one year restoration project. Really? Did God decide to restore it for me?
Waiting is all about patience.
And Patience is a Fruit of the Spirit.
And Patience is a Fruit of the Spirit.
Time went by. Life changed. I changed. When I was going through a very difficult time in life, I noticed that the house was still unoccupied. It was within walking distance from my home and I found myself mysteriously frequenting the property. I would sit in the garden and pray. I was so broken. I cried a lot. Here, I felt so connected with God. I always felt like He was right there with me, collecting those tears and listening to my prayers.
One night I looked up at the stars in the sky...
One night I looked up at the stars in the sky...
"Okay God," I said. "I believe you are going to give me this house, but I just don't know how you are going to do it!"
He immediately responded, "That's what Abraham said."
"Faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not yet seen."
Hebrews 11:1
No matter how difficult life got, somehow, the heaviness always lifted when I was in that garden. I would pray and pray... not so much for myself, but for the lost. I would pray that one day, people would come onto that property and find hope. I found myself believing that people would connect with Christ there. Maybe there would even be some who would rediscover their faith in that very garden, or on the porch, or as they walked around the grounds. I would sit, sometimes for hours, weeping and praying. To me, this garden was a divine access point. I could never quite understand the fullness of what God was doing in me or through me, but I knew this... He was with me and He was using me to intercede for others.
Waiting is "Hanging around until the time is right."
One day when I was about to give up on life, God stepped in. He cheered me on to victory and reminded me of the many promises He wanted to fulfill in my life... including the one of giving me that special house. He said it was all "right around the corner!" From that low point in my life, it was all up hill from there. My life changed dramatically for the better. I also learned that the timeframe of "right around the corner" is different for God than it is for me.
"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends:
With the Lord a day is like a thousand years,
and a thousand years are like a day."
2 Peter 3:8
It's okay... I've been walking with God for a long time. You get used to the time difference. I'm not saying I completely understand it... but I can wait.
Waiting is about "Staying Power."
All these years and the house is still not occupied. They tried selling it, but it never sold. Recently the owners went into partnership with a company that wants to put an elderly living facility on the property. They bulldozed all the land and moved the house to another part of the property. I'm not discouraged. God is doing something. The plan is moving forward.
Waiting requires perseverance,
persistence, endurance and tenacity
Today I went back to the property. I walked around the house two times, reminding God of His promise and thanking Him. He says it's going to look really good when it's all complete and that I won't be disappointed.
I looked around at the rest of the property. It's massive now that all the trees and grass are gone. I walked over to where the house used to be. The garden is still there, but it's all broken up and overgrown. It was a strange site. I had mixed emotions as I stood there. This is the place where I'd met with God all those times. They were such powerful times of prayer! The brick seat still remains in the garden rubble, so I thought -- just for old times sake -- I'd sit in the seat and have a little word of prayer. Why not?
I laid my hand on the bricks, closed my eyes and bowed my head. BOOM!
That's all it took. I was immediately transported to that Secret Place. The Spirit of God poured down upon me like a flash rainstorm. Next thing I know, I'm falling to my knees, resting my body upon that brick seat, as if it were an altar, and interceding for the lost. The prayer had not changed one bit. God was still using me to bring forth His plan in this place. For quite some time,
I wept... I shook... and I prayed in a variety of languages. I just yielded myself to whatever God wanted to do there, in the midst of what was left of my prayer garden. Before long, the prayer subsided. I gave God praise as I lifted my head and opened my eyes... WOW! What a shock! As I looked around, there I was on my knees, in the middle of this demolished property... "just having a little God time," so to speak. LOL. That's okay, I'm used to this as well.
I stood up, pulled myself together and began to walk down the path, in my RED sneakers, to the main street. As I walked home, it dawned on me that I may never see that garden again. I'm glad God brought me that way for one last meeting with Him in that special spot.
But I don't doubt that I'll be back on that property to pray... with or without the flower garden. As long as The Spirit of God dwells there, I'll be back! For the last ten years I've been the Spiritual Caretaker of this property and no one's fired me yet! One day, I'll be the owner. The transfer has already taken place in the heavenlies. It's just a matter of time -- God's time -- for me to possess the land, in my RED shoes, of course!
Praising Him until that time comes!
Gail
