A couple of days ago, I was doing a few things around the house as Duffy (our miniature schnauzer) was playing with his toys quietly in his bed. I wasn’t doing much of anything, really, but then the dryer ding sounded and that meant I had limited time to get the clothes out before the wrinkles set in. Wouldn’t you know that that was the exact moment Duffy decided he needed to go outside and play. He was desperate! And I kept telling him to wait so that I could just hang up the clothes, but he’s a dog so he didn’t understand that. Instead, he just kept whining and whining at the door, waiting on me to do something about it!

As I thought about the situation, I thought about how I am with God at times. You see, sometimes I am just desperate for some kind of answer. Some kind of plan to fall into place. I pray and pray and ask and ask and then, usually, try to take it into my own hands because WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG, GOD?!

Here’s what the prophet Isaiah penned about our God:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts. (Is. 55:8-9)

Clearly, I need to meditate on these verses a little more often. Because time after time, I feel frustrated that God isn’t giving me exactly what I want, not realizing that He’s in the middle of something else. He has plans for me, and they are better than my plans
(Jer. 29:11). And when I’m pitching that fit because I’m not getting what I want? Well, I need to remember that something greater is coming. Something beyond what I can comprehend is lined up for me. Or, something terrible is being kept at bay. Either way, God is in control, and I need to just chill out and give all of my cares into His hand (1 Pet. 5:7).

I remember going through high school praying and praying and praying that things would work out with my boyfriends because I was tired of looking. And, what do you know, all of those boys kept breaking up with me. And there I sat, camped out at the door, whining for God to pay attention to me! To drop all that He was doing and let me have exactly what I wanted! And yet, God had something greater in store. He had a boy all lined up that would be perfect, but the circumstances just weren’t right. I couldn’t meet the man I needed to marry in Alabama, because he was from Tennessee!

When I think about that instance, and I think about all of the promises scripture gives me about the plans God has, I know I need to back away from the door, and wait patiently upon the Lord. It is only then that I will receive what I need. And it will be incredible.