Waiting. It’s never easy, especially for those of us who love to control things. Entering a season of waiting is something far beyond the realm of our control, and patience becomes a struggle when we’re weary with the waiting. Although it’s a season in which you feel unable to move, it’s taxing and exhausting. However, I want you to hear a profound truth that you need to clutch close to your heart. Waiting doesn’t mean that you’re not loved. It doesn’t mean that you’re not seen. It doesn’t mean that you’re not heard.
When we think about the women in the Bible who suffered waiting, there are many that come to mind, but one stood out. Leah. Leah, who wasn’t considered beautiful, who was overlooked, who wasn’t chosen, and who fell in love with a man who never truly loved her back. Jacob fell in love with Rachel, not Leah. Jacob’s father-in-law tricked him into marrying Leah, not Rachel. As a result, Jacob waited years to win Rachel, and during that time, Leah waited to feel loved and wanted. Leah must have struggled all through her life with true self-esteem and worth. The names of her children are telling, but one of them seemed to speak her heart, no matter her struggles. Simeon means “heard.” Leah understood that her God saw and heard her, even when she most likely didn’t feel heard, or seen, or even desired by Jacob.
Are you in a Leah season? Have you felt unloved, unfulfilled, unheard? Have you tried to fill an empty void in your heart? Even though Leah wasn’t loved back like she wanted by the man she loved, she was loved by her heavenly Father in ways Jacob could have never have attempted. God calls us His heart song. In Zephaniah, He reminds us that He is present among us.
“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” – Zephaniah 3:17
One version translates that He will “renew us with His love.” God wants good things for us, just like we want good things for our children. He sees our struggling. He sees our waiting. He hears our cries. He sees all of our flaws and internal deformities, our ugliest and stagnant moments, our deepest hurts. All this, and He still rejoices and delights in us! God’s timing isn’t always easy to understand, but He’s there, keeping His promises to us. He reminds us that He’s there, in the waiting, even when it doesn’t make sense. Even when things seem out of control.
This week, take time to focus on God’s steadfast love for you. If you’re in a season of waiting, give it over to Him. Lean on His strength, and take courage in the coming days. Read Isaiah 40:28-31. What does it say about God? If you enjoy music, listen to Take Courage (Kristene DiMarco) the next time you jump in your car or open your laptop. Remember, He’s faithful. He’s there, in the waiting. Always.
