Reframing the Waiting

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11 
  
Waiting is never easy. When you’re stuck in a situation that feels beyond your control, it’s easy to grow weary, frustrated, and even discouraged. That’s exactly what was happening to God’s people in the time of Jeremiah.  

After the Babylonian army tore down the walls of Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and carried them off into exile, the Israelites were devastated. They found themselves far from home, under the rule of a foreign power, and they kept asking God for deliverance, yet nothing seemed to change.
 
In the 29th chapter of Jeremiah, God speaks a message to these people in exile who had been waiting for years for a breakthrough. They were caught between their "right now" and their "not yet." They had no way of fixing their situation on their own. If anything was going to change, God would have to be the one to do it. And isn’t that how it can feel in our own lives sometimes?  

We’ve prayed, we’ve asked, we’ve done everything we can, and yet, we’re still stuck. We’re waiting for God to open a door, make a way, or provide the answer we desperately need. In these moments, it can feel like we’re on hold with God, caught in that uncomfortable gap between our current struggle and our future hope.
 
But here’s where God’s message through Jeremiah offers hope. In the midst of their captivity, God was still working. He hadn’t forgotten them, and He certainly hadn’t abandoned them. He had a plan, even if it wasn’t happening in the timeline they wanted.  

And here’s the key: while they were waiting, God called them to reframe their situation. Instead of focusing on what they couldn’t change, God told them to plant gardens, build houses, and settle in. In other words, make the best of where they were.
 
In the same way, when you feel like God has you on hold, take a moment to reframe your situation. Instead of focusing on the frustration of waiting, look for ways to grow where you’re planted.  

Trust that God is working behind the scenes, even if you can’t see it yet. Just like the Israelites in exile, your current "right now" may feel like it’s dragging on, but your "not yet" is coming. And in the meantime, know that God’s plans for you are good, filled with hope and a future. Keep trusting Him, even in the waiting.