Patience, endurance, long suffering, perseverance are other words synonymous to waiting. The world we live in presently doesn’t encourage such words but instead the culture of instant gratification is patronized. And because of this waiting isn’t one of our best qualities, I have seen Christians who change their names from patience and endurance to blessing and joy, all because it is a bad name that encourages suffering. But if waiting is bad, our Heavenly Father would not have patience as one of the fruits of the spirit, the bible wouldn’t have asked us to add to our faith patience.
Why do we wait?
How do we wait?
Who should we wait for? – are questions that would be addressed in this article. These are scriptures that would guide us (you could read at your convenience) to answering these questions; Psalm 37; 52:9; 106:13, Eccl. 3, Isa. 40:31, Eph.3:1.
As ladies, there are several things we have to wait for, but the most important of them all, even more important than waiting for that life partner (we can’t wait to a help meet, to starting a new family, a new career, and life and so on) is waiting on the lord. The bible encourages us to seek him first and every other thing follows. You do not wait because you want to get a man as the price for being patient. You wait on God because you know you are an instrument, a vessel he is moulding and shaping to fulfil purpose, anyhow he chooses.
Marriage is not the highest of God’s ministry for a woman. It is good we get married, but we must understand that God will not ask you on the last day to present your marriage certificate; rather you will be accountable on how you lived your life, the lives you impacted with the gospel of Christ.
Marriage is an institution given by God and for us to master it; we need to learn from the creator. How He intends for it to be run, it is not just about two persons, NOOO!!!! It is far greater than that. The miracle in marriage is God bringing two hearts, souls together by breaking and moulding them till they become one not just in union but fellowship with Him.
Why do we wait?
We wait because it is unwise to send an untrained soldier to a battlefield. He would end up killing himself and causing the death of others. When God was talking to Abraham when he was about to rescue his household, he told him to take with him men trained for battle.
The period of singleness is not just a time before marriage; no! it is a time to train, to equip oneself, to pass through the process of time till we are ready. The wedding ceremony does not magically prepare us for marriage, neither does it guarantee a happily ever after, believe me, if it does, there are some world breaking weddings we know about that would have guaranteed a perfect marriage.
Marriage amplifies who you are, it test your strengths and brings out your weaknesses in ways you cannot imagine. So instead of daydreaming that perfect guy or that perfect wedding or even that perfect marriage, why not put yourself to work. Bring out the best in you, add value to you, unlearn unhealthy habits, make healthy relationships. If you are a guy or if your brother wants to get married and he comes for someone like you, will he marry you as a lady, will you encourage your brother to marry someone like you? The period of waiting is not a prison sentence, neither is it a death sentence, so let’s maximize it.
Secondly, we wait because we are not to live our lives like orphans without a father, we don’t behave like the world by doing trial and error, marriage originated from our father, so we are to teach the word the right way to go about it, can I get a YES? The bible says we have been predestined, before we were formed he knew us and knows our end, so why not wait on him to deliver all things in its time. We sometimes make major decisions concerning our lives and bring it for the Lord to endorse we are like “lord this is my life’s plan, I am going to finish school by 21, marry by 22, by 25 I should have finished giving birth, because you know, I want to maintain my shape, so please, sign here, here and here.” It shouldn’t be so, if the world wants to know the right way to marriage, they should be looking at us, not us going to glen wisdom from them, when the author and finisher lives on.
Thirdly we are to wait so we can be an inspiration to others, there are so many people who will be blessed by our stories, whose lives would be transformed, encouraged knowing we waited for the right time. Imagine telling your daughters how you are a living testimony on how waiting and trusting on God gave you the best man that exceeds your expectations, imagine telling them, they can wait too, imagine telling her you learnt a lot on how to listen to the Lord’s voice in your single period. There are so many benefits to gain on why we should wait.
Answering the question on how should we wait is that, we wait by not wavering on our faith. Pressures will come when you see everyone around you getting married. Your family would contribute to the pressure as well as your “well meaning friend” when they voice out their concern. But know this, you are a work in progress, you serve the author of time, so do not be worried about your biological clock. Do not panic or run ahead of God. Don’t think of helping him fulfil his plans for your life; remember it isn’t about you alone. Your life is bigger than you, cling to Him. Learn to be content with His provision and timing. Fellowship with Him more, meditate on his promises, his words, pray often, reach out to souls, live a life of impact, examine and re-examine your life, your values, priorities, vision and so on. Be single and satisfied until God brings someone you are to compliment. Take the right actions at the right time and remember never be lonely. Loneliness is not the absence of affection but the absence of identity and direction. If you don’t know the reason you are waiting, you might end up missing it, too much is at stake for you to let that happen, too many lives are tied to you, and to your success.
And lastly, imagine if Jacob had not waited for Rachael? Imagine if Joseph had not waited in prison for his appointed time or if our Lord Jesus had heeded to the voice of the devil and expose himself as the son of God before the appointed time? You are not alone, many have waited and many more will wait. There is truly a time for everything, the process may be painful but believe me it is gainful.
After all these considerations, what shouldn’t we do while waiting? Do not doubt, not for any reason: do not remove your gaze from the Lord; do not start thinking and worrying. Don’t give the devil a chance to sow more seeds in your heart. Do not be envious of people who are getting married, pray for them, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Don’t help God hasten the coming by becoming desperate. Never stay with people who will make you feel less of yourself because you are not married. Never you relent on your service to God. Finally never you compromise your faith for anything. Remember if the Lord has said that settles it and nowhere have I read that those who trust in the Lord and serve Him were put to shame. I pray these words would take a stand, grow and blossom down in our hearts till it’s achieved in Jesus name. AMEN!
About the writer: Oisaomaye Clementina Omon is an unashamed lover of Jesus, nurse, life coach and writer. She's passionate about seeing folks come to the knowledge of who they are in Christ and living their life for the purpose of bringing glory to God. Connect with her on Facebook: Oisao Clementyne
An amazing write up..much wisdom for ladies.
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