Lynn Cowell
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17 (NIV)
Yesterday was my birthday and birthdays mean gifts! My family is very good about gift-giving and tends to give me something I might have mentioned that I like, but really wouldn't buy for myself. Whatever they choose, they always pick just the right thing at the right time. Several years ago…ok, many, many years ago…for my sweet 16 birthday, my parents gave me a unique keychain with a key to their car. I loved it! That key represented freedom and independence. Exactly what I was craving at that time. It was the right gift at the right time.
If my parents had given me that same gift when I was six, it would have been very strange and inappropriate. At six, I would have wondered what it was for and how to use it. My parents knew what to give and when to give it.
In James 1:17 we are told that God our Father gives good gifts to us, His children. Not only does He give good gifts, but He knows perfectly what to give and when to give it. His gifts are not spur of the moment because He forgot that a special day was on its way. His gifts are all about perfect timing.
When I was five, I couldn't reach my jacket that was hanging on the last peg just above the cement steps that led to our basement. I called out for help, but refused to wait. A tumble down those steps produced a black eye that stayed for a very long time. I didn't trust that those who loved me would come and do what I needed when I wanted it.
Many of us are asking God for help. We are crying out for something we need. The key is, can we wait patiently, trusting that His timing is perfect? Can we trust that He has our best in mind and is working on our behalf?
Sometimes we grow impatient. We want what we want and we want it now. So we make the mistake of trying to get it by ourselves. Have you ever tried to get something by yourself? Is there something in your life that you really want…now?
Is there one thing you feel if you could have, your life would be complete? If you could just have that job at that pay, life would be so much better. If God would just open your womb, the emptiness would finally be gone. If He would just heal your broken, cold marriage, your heart would be joyful. If He would just fulfill that lifelong dream, you would be content. Are you tempted, like me, to get that thing any way you can, even with the possibility you could end up with way more than a black eye?
There are times with all of our prayers He seems to answer "no" or at least "not now." It is here, where our desires intersect His will that we have to trust the Father knows best and every gift comes from Him. Every time, in His time, the gift is good and perfect.
I have seen God's perfect gifts in my life as I have waited on Him. Waited on Him for a husband. Waited on Him to open doors for ministry. Waited on Him to draw my kids to Himself. I see my history with Him and I'm going to choose to keep on waiting for His good and perfect gifts.
Dear Lord, waiting on You is so hard! My heart wants to get things moving, step up and take action. Help me to always bring my desires to You, knowing that You always have my best at heart. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Order Wendy Pope’s CD What to Do in the W.A.I.T.: Finding Contentment in God’s Pauses and Plans
Visit Lynn’s blog to share and encourage others with your story of when you have waited and seen God’s perfect and good gifts!
My Prince will Come: Getting Ready for My Lord's Return by Sheri Rose Shepherd
When God Says No, Keep Asking offers more free encouragement!
Walking with God in the Quiet Places: Devotions for Women by Various Authors including Lysa TerKeurst
Reflections:
Am I currently in a waiting place? Am I waiting in faith, expecting to see God's good and perfect gift or am I living in a place of frustration because He doesn't seem to be doing things my way in my time?
How can I begin to honor God while I am waiting?
What type of testimony am I writing each day that I am waiting?
Power Verses:
Psalm 27:14, "Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." (NIV)
Psalm 33:20, "We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield." (NIV)
© 2010 by Lynn Cowell. All rights reserved.
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17 (NIV)
Yesterday was my birthday and birthdays mean gifts! My family is very good about gift-giving and tends to give me something I might have mentioned that I like, but really wouldn't buy for myself. Whatever they choose, they always pick just the right thing at the right time. Several years ago…ok, many, many years ago…for my sweet 16 birthday, my parents gave me a unique keychain with a key to their car. I loved it! That key represented freedom and independence. Exactly what I was craving at that time. It was the right gift at the right time.
If my parents had given me that same gift when I was six, it would have been very strange and inappropriate. At six, I would have wondered what it was for and how to use it. My parents knew what to give and when to give it.
In James 1:17 we are told that God our Father gives good gifts to us, His children. Not only does He give good gifts, but He knows perfectly what to give and when to give it. His gifts are not spur of the moment because He forgot that a special day was on its way. His gifts are all about perfect timing.
When I was five, I couldn't reach my jacket that was hanging on the last peg just above the cement steps that led to our basement. I called out for help, but refused to wait. A tumble down those steps produced a black eye that stayed for a very long time. I didn't trust that those who loved me would come and do what I needed when I wanted it.
Many of us are asking God for help. We are crying out for something we need. The key is, can we wait patiently, trusting that His timing is perfect? Can we trust that He has our best in mind and is working on our behalf?
Sometimes we grow impatient. We want what we want and we want it now. So we make the mistake of trying to get it by ourselves. Have you ever tried to get something by yourself? Is there something in your life that you really want…now?
Is there one thing you feel if you could have, your life would be complete? If you could just have that job at that pay, life would be so much better. If God would just open your womb, the emptiness would finally be gone. If He would just heal your broken, cold marriage, your heart would be joyful. If He would just fulfill that lifelong dream, you would be content. Are you tempted, like me, to get that thing any way you can, even with the possibility you could end up with way more than a black eye?
There are times with all of our prayers He seems to answer "no" or at least "not now." It is here, where our desires intersect His will that we have to trust the Father knows best and every gift comes from Him. Every time, in His time, the gift is good and perfect.
I have seen God's perfect gifts in my life as I have waited on Him. Waited on Him for a husband. Waited on Him to open doors for ministry. Waited on Him to draw my kids to Himself. I see my history with Him and I'm going to choose to keep on waiting for His good and perfect gifts.
Dear Lord, waiting on You is so hard! My heart wants to get things moving, step up and take action. Help me to always bring my desires to You, knowing that You always have my best at heart. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Order Wendy Pope’s CD What to Do in the W.A.I.T.: Finding Contentment in God’s Pauses and Plans
Visit Lynn’s blog to share and encourage others with your story of when you have waited and seen God’s perfect and good gifts!
My Prince will Come: Getting Ready for My Lord's Return by Sheri Rose Shepherd
When God Says No, Keep Asking offers more free encouragement!
Walking with God in the Quiet Places: Devotions for Women by Various Authors including Lysa TerKeurst
Reflections:
Am I currently in a waiting place? Am I waiting in faith, expecting to see God's good and perfect gift or am I living in a place of frustration because He doesn't seem to be doing things my way in my time?
How can I begin to honor God while I am waiting?
What type of testimony am I writing each day that I am waiting?
Power Verses:
Psalm 27:14, "Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." (NIV)
Psalm 33:20, "We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield." (NIV)
© 2010 by Lynn Cowell. All rights reserved.
Labels: Balance, Contentment, God's Perspective, Overcoming, Patience, Perseverance, Prayer, Trusting God, Waiting On God, Walking in Faith
18 Comments:
I think this message was just for me today. I am graduating in less than 3 weeks, and job application upon job application, jobs have yet evaded me. Thanks for that reminder to wait on Him!
what a beautiful reminder!! Thank you so much!!
blessings,
Karen
This message is great! I've been longing to live in Europe ad God keeps holding off. His time is perfect. Thank you for the friendly reminder...oh and Happy Birthday!!!
The Lord always has a way of showing that He's in control and that He's in charge of everything!
This was a great encouragement to me as I am wrestling with making a decision to move on a certain something in my life. Am I trying to force it to happen by acting now, or should I sit tight and wait a while longer for God's perfect timing? I think I got my answer! :)
If I understand correctly, waiting on God is simply trusting in His love and that His Will is always best.
O Lord please help me to wait until Your Time, help me to go just one day at a time. Thank You that You are working even though satan says You don't care.
Lynn, thank's, each day now I'am looking for that little girl. I was at work the other day and I was washing my hands and looked up in the mirror and saw her, it was such a good feeling and I thank God for that one day at a time.
Thank you for reminding me that God will provide as we NEED not as we WANT. My family has been in a waiting period for about 2 years now and things seem to be coming together, but thank you for reminding me that it may not be just as I want but it will be perfect.
I'm waiting on something that I am not a 100% sure God wants for my life. I wish I knew. Right now I wonder if it's just a dream. I'll trust HIM nevertheless.
Thank You so much for this message. This is something I need to be reminded of often.
This was a timely devotion. Today is my birthday and I'm always wondering what my family has planned or not planned for me. I am completing my Masters Degree and I can't find a job, an internship and it seems as if my life is going to be doomed. But this devotion today has reminded me to stay in my word while I wait. Keeping busy and allowing God to present opportunities to me in his perfectly timed way.
I'm waiting for healing. He keeps telling me, "Let me heal you." But with that, I know, comes His timing. I wish it were the same as mine. I know He's trying to teach me. I feel so desperate. Thanks for allowing Him to use you today to speak to me in a way that I needed.
Awesome devo today! I needed this one too. :-) Thanks for the reminder to wait on His perfect timing and plan. It may not be in our time, but it will be better than we could ever ask or imagine! Thanks again!
GOD IS SO AWESOME!!! This message was definitely a message directly from God to my heart! Waiting is definitely difficult but TRUSTING AND PATIENTLY WAITING is only accomplished by God's grace! O Happy Day! Joyful, joyful birthday!!! Enjoy a birthday filled with God's special blessings just for you!!!! Love, Kim
Thank you for such an important reminder. I feel refreshed after reading this!
Thank you so much for this devotion today! It came at the right time in my life. I feel God speaking to me through your message. You are a great gift from God. Thank you and I hope that you have a blessed birthday! :)
Thank you for reminding me about God's timing. Recently I've been very frustrated about a lot of things, believing that the Lord is with holding the desires of my heart. I truly believed that He's saying "no" to all of my desires. After reading this, I did a bit of Introspection and found that most of the time I ask not believing or I'm impatient and not willing to wait at all.
Thank you Lord for your perfect timing, help me to relax and to truly trust in you.
Hi Lynn
Your parents are genius,who judged that what kind of gift would be suitable for you according to your age on your birthday.It is a myth that we should choose the Perfect Gifts for someone which would be valuable for him.
"My heart wants to get things moving, step up and take action." ~ Oh, my, how that smacked me in the face today! Thanks for this very important (and timely) reminder that I must remember to wait on Him!
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