Have you ever baked cookies and taken them out way too early only to have a gooey mess? Have you ever painted something and thought it was dry only to realize it needed to sit a little longer? Maybe you have eagerly sipped a well crafter latte that had not cooled long enough and your burnt mouth is hating you for it. Has there ever been a case when you have made a decision in haste only to regret it later? Sometimes the waiting is where God does His best work. Do you trust Him when the product is in the process? Do you surrender control when the paint is slowly drying and each second seems daunting and unrelenting? There is a lesson in the in-betweens. There is a purpose for the seasons that He seems silent and absent. Here is a secret from someone who has been well acquainted with the pain of pauses- God is working in the waiting. Good things take time and they are worth holding out for.

I am an expert procrastinator in some regards. I like to plan, but I also have a tendency to wait until the very last moment to get things done. There is a humorous quote that says “due tomorrow means do tomorrow.” I relate to this on a spiritual level.

There is an old gospel song that says “He’s an on-time God, yes He is. Job said, He may not come when you want Him, but He’ll be there right on time…” We can also look to some newer songs like “Wait on the Lord,” by James Wilson.

I learn a lot from God- waiting until the last minute is a lesson He has taught me well. The thing is, with Him waiting until the “last minute” to do something is often His best way of operation. I had a counselor tell me that she lives by the adage that she serves an 11:59 God. I had to have her explain this to me. God turns things around or performs a miracle right when we think the clock is about to run out. There are situations in which throwing in the towel would be easier when it seems like God has forgotten or is absent. In reality, He is about to show up at your 11:59 moment.

Friend, I know you are tired of waiting and it seems unbearable but please remember His ways and His timing are perfect. Whatever you are facing, He is going to come through. Don’t panic. Don’t try and take matters into your own hands. Don’t try to stop the clock. Even if it’s 11:59, God is about to show up, when you feel all hope is lost. Keep waiting, your answer is going to be right on time.

• “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11
• “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.” 1 Peter 5:6
• “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 43:1
• “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks Him.” Lamenations 3:25
• “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27:14

Rachel Skirvin is a lover of travel, nachos, and the gospel. She is a graduate of Urshan College and will most likely always call it Gateway. She is pursuing her master’s degree in counseling and human services and is currently serving at The Pentecostals of Cooper City in South Florida.