I have written about patience at great length. Initially, it was with respect to God challenging me to exercise patience I thought I possessed as I waited for what I thought was an erroneously delayed check. Then, it was with respect to God continuing to challenge me through the experience of a 14 month unemployment. At the beginning, I did not see God’s hand. I couldn’t because my perspective was amiss. All I could think about was all the ways this affected me until, after a few months, I was able to see the greatest benefit of my time in isolation – the opportunity to sit at the Lord’s feet and to rest after completing a Master’s program and working simultaneously. And now, that the Lord has blessed me with employment – to say He blessed me with a job feels hollow – I understand why He made me wait even more and I am grateful, truly, that I waited on the Lord and was of good courage (Psalm 27:14).
I remember talking to a friend while I was waiting. I was telling her about how I’d been applying to jobs but hadn’t heard anything. I did recognize that the Lord was challenging me to exercise patience but I was worried about having the discernment to recognize what God had for me when it came.
My friend’s words resonated so deeply that when the revelation of what God had for me came to pass, she immediately came to mind. She shared with me that her pastor preached in waiting, particularly for a job and spoke on the importance of remembering while we’re waiting God may be removing certain colleagues or rearranging a new position just for us. My job came six months later but being reminded of the fact that God is always at work was the word I needed to persist and trust that the Lord had not abandoned me. He was making all things work together for good (Romans 8:28).
But the longer I waited, the more I realized I wasn’t entirely sure what kind of job I wanted. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do until I realized I wanted to go back to something. I was a college counselor for a little over a year and had to leave because of grad school. I could not juggle both of those jobs and truthfully, I struggled in that job and I’d always hoped for a second chance to try my hand at the work again. I’ve always been passionate about education and students, especially those of color, having access to as much as possible. I also discovered at that time, I was interested in teaching writing. I had even gone so far as to apply for another Master’s program because I knew I couldn’t teach writing until I was a classroom teacher for a couple years. I had to earn the right to be able to do that. Or so I thought. A recruiter reached out to me about a job I’d applied for with a job description that was pretty vague but interesting enough that I applied. During the interview, she told me as part of this position, I would help seniors navigate the college application process and teach writing. Translation: this was God.
To skip to the present day, I am now three months into this job and I absolutely love it. If I’m honest with myself and you, I’ve wanted to teach for a long time but my fear of inadequacy never let me consider it. Every time I thought about teaching, I thought about all the ways I would fail or be utterly unsuccessful. I never considered I would be any good and I was wrong. I feel at home in the classroom, as if I am where I am supposed to be and the Holy Spirit comes over me. I have come alive in ways I never thought possible and every day I step into my school, I am grateful and excited. I praise the Lord for the intentional time He took to ordain this opportunity for me, to reveal Himself to me and through me, and to challenge me in ways I never knew. I know I wouldn’t have been ready for this had the Lord given it to me six months earlier or even right after graduation.
This job has come with its challenges. Believe me, but it’s not because I don’t belong or made the wrong decision, which we often think when we first encounter difficulty.
But then I remind myself of the purposeful time God took in making me wait, in preparing me, challenging me and ordaining me for the work I do every day and the obstacles that would be placed in my path. So, if you’re waiting, please know and trust that the Living God is in the details and is making things perfect in His time and for your good. And if you are walking in the blessing that you received after waiting for any period of time, then never take it for granted, never doubt that you are in the wrong place. God knew everything that you would come against and has equipped you for it all. Most importantly, Christ made us a promise that should anchor us during all our days, especially on the hard ones:
“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” – Matthew 28:20
