Hey Friends, welcome back! Last time we talked about God’s gentle and delicate hand as we’re awaiting His divine blessing. You may say, “Laci, that’s all well and good, but what about how painful it is to look up and still see no change?” Well, I know that feeling all too well and today we’re gonna talk about just that. Hopefully, you walk away with some encouragement for how to have an expectant heart while waiting for your circumstance or season to change! Let’s dive in!
In the book of Acts, we learn about the apostles’ persistence in sharing the gospel and kick-starting the early church. They performed miracles in Jesus’ name, they went constantly up against religious authority regardless of the consequences, etc. They were pretty cool guys for the kingdom of God, to say the least. Particularly, in Acts chapter 3, Peter and John were going to the temple one morning for the 9 am sacrifice. Verse 2 tells us that, “a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;” (NKJV). So here’s a man, who every single day, because of his inability to walk, had to be carried by others to the temple just to petition people for the money he would need to eat that day. Talk about feeling hopeless and desperate.
But don’t miss this — he was positioned at a gate titled “beautiful.” Sometimes, we feel such a desire to walk through such a gate when we can’t, that we miss what God wants to do by having placed us there. The Word says the man was expecting to receive something from Peter and John (v.5), he just had no idea what, yet. Your waiting is beautiful because it gives God a chance to move. We can’t skip over the rest of the story. The Word says this, “Then Peter said, ‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God” (NKJV).
The lame man, as promised to us in Ephesians 3:20, is given “exceedingly and abundantly more” than he could have ever ask, think, or imagine. But it came through the direct power of Jesus and how His disciples stewarded their authority in Him. Next, consider verse 10, which states, “Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.” His healing became a testimony to others.
Even when you don’t have all the answers or understand why God is or isn’t doing something, your waiting or hardship is a beautiful position because God can give you daily provision (the alms/ money for the man), while also working up something better for your good and more importantly, for His glory. Your change could come at any time, and in the meantime, a powerful testimony is under construction.
Lastly, consider our Savior. Jesus — who knew that the outcome of going to the cross would be his resurrection and God’s victory (Matt. 16:21 and Matt. 20:19) — can sympathize with our waiting. The fact that He knew the outcome didn’t change the physical and emotional pain that He endured on the cross for the sake of our sins. He says in Matt. 7:46 from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Here’s the truth: knowing the outcome of a situation/waiting period, or not knowing it, doesn’t change the pain we endure. Even our Savior, knowing the end result, felt overlooked and abandoned by the Father. Do you believe now that He understands how you are feeling?
In reality, Jesus was beautifully positioned so that His blood could atone for our sins. Maybe your suffering, your position, is for the good of someone else — whether you could help them now or later in life. Then! Three days after His death, God’s glory was displayed through the resurrection of Christ! This is our greatest hope. We have a Savior who understands that not every position always “feels” beautiful, but that it can make room for God to move in a mighty way. And that is where and why we can find expectancy in our waiting.
Your pain and waiting may be an essential instrument in a future testimony. If we’re truly living for God, then we should want His glory to shine through our lives and be expectant that for His name’s sake, He hasn’t left us or forgotten us. My challenge is to choose a bigger picture perspective when your position doesn’t seem so beautiful. One that believes the story that God is writing for you will be one of victory and inspiration to others. David says in Psalms 37 that he’s “never seen the righteous forsaken.” Right now, you may feel hopeless and ready to give up on trusting God with your situation. Maybe you have even begun to accept the bare minimum with little faith that God can move in your life again. But even in your worst pain — like the lame man and like Jesus — you are beautifully positioned to experience His provision, His presence, His blessing, and His glory.
Friend, choose to believe that the turmoil you feel today will one day be a powerful testimony. One even better than your wildest dreams –because you serve a good and faithful Father.
Hiya folks! I’m Laci! Writing to encourage you in your walk with Jesus! If this helps you, feel free to share with friends and subscribe to become part of this community! With questions or concerns, please DM my instagram @seenheardandloved
Thanks for tuning in! See ya’ll next time!
P.s. as a general rule I’ll try to post a new blog every month or so! Some months I may post more, so make sure to subscribe and turn on notifications to stay updated! Love ya’ll, but Jesus loves you more!
– Laci Rae :)
Seen, Heard, and Loved 