“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Luke 1:45 (NIV)
Year after year, my dream opportunity kept passing me by. I worked hard, prayed, and trusted God, but I was growing weary.
In Luke 1:6-7, we read about a godly couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth, who knew what it was like to dream and pray for something too: “They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years” (ESV).
In my mind, that’s not how those verses should end, especially not for people who seemed to do everything right. But for a while, that was their story.
Then Zechariah was visited by an angel, who said he and Elizabeth would have a son and name him John (Luke 1:13).
I wonder if, even in their happiness, they thought, Why now? It would’ve been nice if this had happened a little sooner. But Elizabeth didn’t ask questions.
If she were anything like me, Elizabeth might have traced back her steps to figure out why God chose to do this now. Had she been a little nicer to Zechariah that week? Was it because she spent less time chatting with the other ladies at the local water well and more time at the temple?
But the birth of John the Baptist was about more than Zechariah and Elizabeth. In fact, it was about more than John the Baptist himself.
John would prepare the way for the Messiah. Shortly after John was born, “when the right time came, God sent his Son” (Galatians 4:4, NLT). Jesus’ arrival was perfectly timed and part of God’s plan. And so was John’s.
As you follow Christ, you may feel you are doing everything right that you know to do … and still, like Elizabeth before she had her son, there is a “but” in your story.
Faithful but diagnosed. But unemployed. But bankrupt. But waiting for a spouse. But waiting for a child. But carrying unfulfilled dreams. But stuck.
Although God’s will for us may not be fulfilled how or when we expect, we can remain submitted to God and His plan.
That dream opportunity I had been waiting for finally became a reality. However, as life goes on, I may have different dreams that require waiting … again. It won’t be easy, but I can trust God every time.
Even if He doesn’t always give us what we hope for on earth, He has given us eternal hope in Jesus. As Elizabeth told Jesus’ mother, “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:45).
We pray, wait, hope, and believe. And in His perfect time, we see His faithful plan unfold.
Father, help me to keep trusting You, even in long periods of waiting. Your timing is perfect. Please fill my heart with faith, peace, and joy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
When survival is all you know, it’s hard to believe your life could look any different. In this week’s episode of The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, you’ll hear how Compassion International stepped into one girl’s reality — meeting her physical needs while introducing her to the Truth of God’s Word — and how that changed everything, not overnight but over time. Today, she’s a neurosurgeon, but her story starts with something simple: being seen, being cared for, and being given the chance to dream. If you’ve ever wondered whether your generosity really matters, listen to this episode and see how God uses it to help rewrite someone’s story.
To help you engage in God’s Word every day, check out Quest for More: A One Year Devotional Through the Bible, cowritten by today’s devotion writer, Anitha Abraham.
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Ecclesiastes 3:11, “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end” (NLT).
What have you learned from previous waiting seasons in your life?
We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.
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