It’s easy to get caught up in your daily routine and responsibilities – to look up, wonder how time slipped away, and how you got off-track with our goals.
I admit that recently, I was getting increasingly anxious about the direction of different areas of my life. My mind would race, bombarded with tons of questions:
- “Why am I stuck in this boring job? Is this the end of my career?”
- “What’s going on with my business, anyway? Things have slowed down…should I close up shop?”
- “Ugh! We’re so far from meeting our financial goals…when will we be able to retire?”
- “We said by now we’d like to live in a town with a better school district.”
I almost felt defeated.
Even the most minor step towards a goal was met with a roadblock. The mounting frustration got to me and I grumbled, “God…did you even hear my prayer?”
Then He reminded me of a few things.
Remember How Far You’ve Come
When we first got married in 2007, I was recently laid off, and we lived in a small apartment. We weren’t necessarily struggling – just trying to build a foundation. Fast forward 12 years later, and not only are we in a better place financially, but we have a great circle of supportive family and friends, two great kids, have done a good amount of traveling, made awesome memories, and our professional resumes are pretty impressive. We’ve weathered so many storms: unexpected health issues, passing of loved ones, sudden loss of income, and challenges in our relationship. Not to mention we’re in the best health we’ve ever been in since before we got married.
Think back to every aspect of your life, and you’ll see that God’s been faithful and that you aren’t in the same place you were.
It’s All in His Timing
If you’re a zealous overachiever like me, you’ll realize that your frustration is oftentimes self-inflicted. Stop setting unrealistic expectations, and just enjoy where life takes you. Remember that everything in our lives happens in God’s time – not ours. He’s not some genie in a bottle that just hands over what we want, whenever we want it.
The mounting frustration got to me, and I finally grumbled, “God, did you even hear my prayer?”
Be Content
I notice that believers usually fall on one side of this coin. While one school of thought equates contentment with complacency, I believe that God wants us to “put legs on our faith” – while being patient – so that we are well-prepared for what he has for us (Philippians 4:11-13).
Take a look back and see how far you’ve come. Be patient and relax, because this really is just a chapter – not your whole story!
Philippians 4:6-7 says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
What are some ways that God has shown growth and favor in your life?