Worth the Wait
Two weeks before Christmas when I was eight years old, my father took me to a store to help him pick out a bike for my younger sister, April. He had me try out different ones until we narrowed it down to one. He said he was going to pick it up later. In a few days, I noticed a big sheet covering what had to be April's bike on our back patio. I went over to peek, but my father saw me and said, "No, Joel, I don't want you to look at it." I asked, "Why? I've already seen it." He said, "I just don't want you to." He didn't give a reason. When he wasn't there, I was tempted to take a peek, but unlike my brother, Paul, I obeyed my parents. If it was Victoria, she would have taken the bike out and ridden it.
Every day I asked my father if I could look at the bike. He told me no again and again. I couldn't understand why. Finally, Christmas morning arrived. All of us kids had slept in the den. At six o'clock, we ran and woke our parents up. We opened some gifts under the tree, then my father said, "April, you have a gift out on the patio." When he pulled off the sheet, I couldn't believe it. There was one bike for April and one for me. He really had taken me to the store to find out what I liked.
We all have things we're waiting for--a dream to come to pass, a problem to turn around, to meet the right person. It feels like we're stuck in a wait room. The psalmist says, "Don't be impatient for the Lord to act. Travel steady along His path. He will honor you and give you the land" (Psalm 37:34). When you stay faithful as you wait, you don't complain because it's taking a long time or get upset because the door closed. You have a made-up mind to travel steady and honor God, knowing He is preparing you for more than you can imagine.
Sometimes God is not letting you see something now, because it's not the right time. He's keeping the cover on it. But when it's your time, He's going to surprise you with something better than you thought. I couldn't understand why my father made me wait, but my brand-new bike was under that sheet. You may not understand why you're having to wait, but God has a reason. There are some things He has covered for you right now, but your time is coming. When He uncovers it, you'll agree that it was worth the wait.
Every day I asked my father if I could look at the bike. He told me no again and again. I couldn't understand why. Finally, Christmas morning arrived. All of us kids had slept in the den. At six o'clock, we ran and woke our parents up. We opened some gifts under the tree, then my father said, "April, you have a gift out on the patio." When he pulled off the sheet, I couldn't believe it. There was one bike for April and one for me. He really had taken me to the store to find out what I liked.
We all have things we're waiting for--a dream to come to pass, a problem to turn around, to meet the right person. It feels like we're stuck in a wait room. The psalmist says, "Don't be impatient for the Lord to act. Travel steady along His path. He will honor you and give you the land" (Psalm 37:34). When you stay faithful as you wait, you don't complain because it's taking a long time or get upset because the door closed. You have a made-up mind to travel steady and honor God, knowing He is preparing you for more than you can imagine.
Sometimes God is not letting you see something now, because it's not the right time. He's keeping the cover on it. But when it's your time, He's going to surprise you with something better than you thought. I couldn't understand why my father made me wait, but my brand-new bike was under that sheet. You may not understand why you're having to wait, but God has a reason. There are some things He has covered for you right now, but your time is coming. When He uncovers it, you'll agree that it was worth the wait.