Hold On!

[bigletter]Jewel turned forty a month ago! She was grateful for life but sad because her life hadn’t played out as she had planned.[/bigletter]

At 40, Jewel didn’t expect to be single, jobless, homeless, and having health challenges. Yet, she waited on the Lord. However, it seemed the more she drew closer to God, the more the enemy afflicted her. The good thing with Jewel though was that she stood firm in God. She remained resolute, waiting for what God would do.

Jewel’s story is everyone’s story to one degree or the other. Every believer experiences challenges in the journey of faith.

What is your unique circumstance? What is that situation that keeps you up at night? What challenge keeps your pillows drenched with tears? Will you choose, just like Jewel, to turn to God and hold on? Will you impatiently turn away from Him? Will you get angry and seek solution outside of God’s will?

For Jewel, the only desired solution was that which God would offer. So, she searched the Word more than ever. She looked to the Scriptures, and she stayed in prayer without giving up. She was encouraged by God’s word in Jeremiah 29:13, and prayed the Scripture back to God, “You said I will seek you and find you if I seek you with all my heart. God, I am here.”

She prayed fervently. She asked God why her story had not changed. Then, God answered and said to her:

1.      I am preparing you to release a godly generation.

This assured Jewel that she would marry and have children. Jewel was fretting because at forty she felt she was biologically late. But God’s time is not man’s.

2.      I am preparing you to break the bands of wickedness from your foundation.

When God seems to be silent, He is still at work in your life. The mighty terrible One has wrought deliverances for you and is still fighting your unseen battles. Instead of crying, raise songs of praise continually to Him.

3.      I am preparing you to set a standard of righteousness for your nation.

Jewel’s consecration and sanctification would make her the reference point. Though she endured mockery on earth, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as well as the  cloud of witnesses and hosts of angels were rooting for her and cheering her on.

Though at first, Jewel did not understand the purpose of her waiting, yet she waited. She could not comprehend why God hadn’t answered her prayers, yet she trusted Him. You may not know why you are going through the challenges you’re facing. But it becomes easy to trust Him when you come to the realization that HE IS GOD, all powerful, never failing, and that He loves you so much.

So, regardless of your peculiar situation, God says,

Be still and know that I am God.