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Last month I stirred up some of our readers when I didn’t tell the conclusion of my house-selling story. I decided I needed to wrap up the story this month. But as I began thinking about writing that story, another house-selling saga has begun! Isn’t it just like God to make the truths of the past, come back just when I needed them?!

If you missed the post from last month about seeking God and letting go while downsizing, you can read it here.

In the article, I shared about the widow from 1 Kings 17. She was asked by Elijah to make a small cake of bread. She only had a few drops of oil left; in fact, just enough to feed her son and her, and then they would prepare to starve to death.

During the months we were trying to sell the house, I would lie awake and have visions of my family, having lost our home and possessions and moved into the homeless shelter downtown. I would make up scenarios of how it would all happen. Isn’t that just like Satan? He twists our thinking and messes with our emotions. Remember what he said to Eve in the Garden? “Did God really say…” (Genesis 3)

I had my house on the market for months and months, and I was so confused about how God could tell me to do something but then leave me hanging.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
Psalm 27:14 (ESV)

Hmmm, what story in the Old Testament does that bring to mind? Maybe several? Abraham waiting to have a child to fulfill the promise to be the father of many nations? The hundreds of years between the Old Testament and the coming of the Messiah? These were reminders to me that sometimes when God promises something He allows His children to mature through the waiting and silence.

Waiting seems to be a tool God uses in the classroom of growth.

Finally, a family from the area bought our house. The mom told me how she saw the 8×10 framed pics of each of my kids on the wall up the staircase and prayed for each little face. Looking in the bedrooms, she saw a small fan pointed at the pillow of one of the beds. She prayed that God’s love would blow across the face of the sweet child and let him know he is loved. This mama listened to the prompting of the Spirit and prayed for each of us. What an amazing blessing that was!

The house we found after about nine months has been just perfect for us. I wrote about the closing here.

And here we are again, getting ready to sell THAT home. It hasn’t been very long, but God is moving us again. This time I am married to a widower with children. We have four teenagers in the house, all of whom have various levels of trauma from loss. And, let’s just be honest, teenagers aren’t known for their cleanliness…

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)

Waiting on the Lord can be so hard. We seem to end up in that spot so often. Do we learn from the LAST time we were in that spot? Do we remember how God provided for our needs so we can trust Him this time as well?

As I remind myself once again of these verses about waiting on the Lord, I need the strength and growth that comes from His timing and not my own.

Lord, waiting is not easy for us. Help us to renew our strength and not grow weary as we wait. Today we rest in Your timing. Amen