It's Your Move: When God is Waiting on Us

Today’s post is written by none other than my amazing mother. She recently shared this story with me, and I just knew it needed to be shared! When God has placed a desire in our hearts and made a way where there was no way, it’s often up to us to make the next move in faith.

Years ago I heard a well-known Bible teacher say that there are times that God will place a desire for something in your heart so that you will pray for it. Once you pray for it, He will then answer your prayer and bring about what He desired for you all along. This was an interesting concept, but I didn’t realize at the time that I was about to experience it personally.

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I remember it very well. It was a normal weekday, and I was rushing out the door to get to work on time. I was just going through the motions. I had been through some very trying years with a lot of family drama and the recent passing of my mother, and I was trying to find a new “normal.” I had been so overwhelmed with responsibilities that I had pulled away from people, church, activities… you name it. No time for anything but to keep my head above water.

But now that things had settled down I found myself feeling very alone and without purpose. I still had my closest friends and family, but I don’t think they even realized how isolated I had become.

As I was walking through my basement, approaching the door to the garage it felt as though a great longing just “dropped” into my heart. In my mind, I could hear myself saying, “I just wish I had a women’s group I could go to – just to study the Bible together.”

This took me by surprise as I had never had that thought before, especially with such longing behind it. So I placed that desire before the Lord and left it at that. I just felt I would never have the courage to actually pursue it.

Soon after, I was coming out of a church service with my husband and a woman boldly approached me, stood right in from of me, and gave me a little note-card. She said, “I would like to invite you to our women’s bible study home group.”

I took the card, immediately sensing that little “ping” you get in your spirit when God is up to something. I thanked her and took the card home.

It didn’t start for a couple of weeks so I had some time to think of a way out of actually going. I really did desire to go, but being a bit of an introvert, the idea of showing up to a women’s group without knowing a single person there was a bit unnerving.Yet that desire in my heart persisted. I couldn’t escape it. Besides, wasn’t this an answer to my prayer?

The Lord was definitely doing a bit of stretching in my life, and stretching can sometimes be uncomfortable. But I could feel that continuous nudging from the Holy Spirit to go.

A few days before the Bible study would begin I was driving to work, arguing in my mind with the Lord about whether I should attend or just stay home. I was really being pushed out of my comfort zone. During this conversation with the Lord, as I was driving down a long stretch of highway, my eyes caught on a billboard high in the sky.

In big bold letters, it said: “IT’S YOUR MOVE.”

Well, there goes that “ping” again. Lord, is this you? I had experienced such a deep desire for this. I had prayed for it. The Lord put it right in front of me… now it was my move. Finally, I said, “Okay Lord. I’ll take that step. Alone. Knowing that YOU will be with me.”

With a pounding heart, I attended the first study, then another. And in time, these women became a wonderful part of my life. They still are to this day. Not only that, but this move of faith gave me the courage to take steps to attend other classes in my church, to meet more new people, and to essentially come into a deeper more meaningful walk with my King Jesus.

Sometimes we pray for things expecting God to move; when in reality, God is waiting on us to walk through a door He has already opened.

Has the Lord put a desire in your heart today?

Watch for those little “ping” moments when He’s speaking to you about it. Watch for those open doors and opportunities. God is always speaking. And when He is waiting on you, don’t let the enemy talk you out of taking that step of faith.

You will be so glad you did.