photo cred. umit bulut on unsplash

Sick and tired of waiting for change, I wondered how long before for my daughter would be ready to quit drinking and making poor choices? When would she accept help? At 25 she had already been in 4 treatment programs and hopsitalized countless times for severe cutting and suicide attempts. How much more trauma would I have to endure before she came to her senses? Drained from constant worry, one morning I opened my Bible and turned to the story about Moses parting the sea. I read:

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land . . . and when the Israelites saw the great power of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him . . . (Exodus 14:21-25, 31) NIV.

God used that passage to encourage my questioning heart.

Not Knowing God’s Plan

Like me, Moses found himself in a desperate situation. Not knowing God’s plan, he had to trust the mystery of His ways. While the Creator of the universe worked all night to divide the sea, Moses held up his arms for endless hours. Reading further revealed that he needed extra help to hold them up. God knew and provided helpers. But Moses still had to wait for the job to be finished so that the people could flee from their enemy. I’m sure the Hebrews were terrified. No one knew what would happen. Would the Lord rescue them or let them perish?

God could have parted the waters instantly, but He didn’t.

He let them wait. Why?

I don’t know, but two possible answers occurred to me as I pondered that question:

1. In the waiting, their faith grew stronger.
2. In the end, God would get all the credit. No one else could part an ocean.

Is it plausible God wanted there to be no doubt they were saved by His great power?

There was nothing they could do to change the situation or rescue themselves. They had to have faith and trust Jehovah.

We, too, are powerless to change our situation or save our child.

We Too Must Wait

photo cred. Smartworks Coworking on unsplash

We, too, must wait and see what God will do.

Here’s the question we must answer: Will we wait with faith-filled trust or with doubts and complaints?

Are you weary of holding up your arms, watching for a miracle? Have you wondered why God chooses to delay?

Dear friend, only He knows the answer to your questions.

When God makes you wait, He’s up to something. He’s up to something good.

Please hold on to your faith during seasons of delay. Keep trusting His love and care. He is the all-powerful, eternal, all-wise warrior King who fights for you and your child. He alone will do whatever it takes to accomplish His purposes in you and in them.

Let’s Pray: Our Rescuer, may today be the day we see Your power at work in our children’s lives. Please move in such a profound way that they cannot mistake it or explain it away as anything else. Strengthen our faith while we wait. Receive all the credit and glory by the way You part the waters in their lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

*** This is the type of content of the emails I send to those who subscribe to my daily messages. If you’d like encouraging messages like this in your inbox, you can sign up for my free email subscription. Be sure to choose the frequency you prefer. Sign up here on our website.

***And here is the link to a another blog I wrote on waiting: 7 Tips for Parents When Waiting is Hard.