Last week, I went shopping at Goodwill. Twice.
I have been praying for an outreach backpack purse that is big enough for my water bottle and lunch, but not bulky like a real backpack. On Tuesday, we were there for bridesmaids dresses, but knew we were coming back Thursday for dollar day. I found a backpack that was exactly like my friend Sommer’s backpack, which I like very much, in a color I didn’t like so much. Yellow brown. It looked practically brand new and had everything I wanted, except for the color. Which, I’m a huge color person. If the tone is slightly off or something I don’t like, it kinda ruins it for me. And God knows this about me. He created me. Debating whether or not I should get it, I felt the Lord say, “Remember the water bottles.”
To explain, my stainless steel water bottle that was the perfect size in ounces and the perfect circumference for my small hands, and the pretty pattern I liked with a Bible verse on it, quite literally the Goldie Locks of water bottles, broke in September. The lid no longer sealed properly and it leaked at times. I searched for the exact same water bottle but could never find it at the right price or pattern I wanted. I settled for a 17oz bottle that felt a little too fat for my hands. All winter I didn’t need it because it was winter, so I don’t need my water cold. I used a smaller, pretty plastic 20oz bottle I had. When setting up for the fair, we needed white gorilla tape. I was the one to run to Ace to get it. While there, I found my exact bottle. A beauty-full floral pattern for under $20. After all my searching, God brought me a bottle right when it started to get hot and I would need it for an outreach. He provided perfectly what I wanted at just the perfect time. And truthfully, I thought “What am I going to do with this other bottle now that I’ve barely used?” I regretted that I hadn’t trusted the Lord and His perfect timing and provision.
So, I’m standing in front of the yellow brown backpack at Goodwill and God reminds me of the water bottles. I put the backpack back and say, “I’m going to trust the Lord. He is going to bring me the right backpack in the right color.” My friend Sommer puts a tract in it for whoever is going to buy it and we prayed they would be blessed by it. I was at peace. Until the next day.
I began to have “not buyers” remorse. I struggled with remembering what God had spoken and trusting Him. By Thursday morning I was determined to get the backpack “just in case,” if it was still there. When we arrived, I beelined for the purses and bags. It wasn’t there. I was disappointed. Sommer, who was with me again, found another backpack, a chocolate brown color for $7. In my disappointment, I wasn’t elated. I thought this backpack wasn’t as nice as the other and had features I didn’t like as much as the other. The straps were fabric, the other’s all leather. The water bottle holders had elastic (which is very practical), the other one’s didn’t (which I thought looked more classy). Debating whether I should get it, Sommer said, “If you don’t want it, I’ll take it.” Her remark made me realize it had value, and reluctantly I decided to purchase it. The whole time we shopped I didn’t think it was as good as the other. I was thinking of a pair of brown boots I have that are slightly on the red brown spectrum (very slightly). I thought this chocolate brown backpack wouldn’t match with them as nicely as the other (even though I mostly would be wearing this backpack with tennis shoes).
We finished our shopping (which I got 4 skirts for $1 each, many new summer dresses, and a pair of flower sandals, praise God) and headed home. The first thing I did was compare the chocolate brown backpack to the red brown boots. The boots weren’t as red brown as I had thought. The backpack matched perfectly. All of a sudden, I realized what I had and how perfectly God had provided for me. I was so grateful and thankful praising God. Looking at the backpack next to the boots I felt God say, “Do you trust Me?”
It was a moment of such tender correction. Shaking my head at myself I thought, “Why didn’t I trust You Lord? You are so faithful to provide for me so perfectly the very thing I WANT and need at just the right time. Remember the water bottles. Wait for Your perfect provision.”
How often do we settle because we want to be secure instead of trusting God? We seek to provide for our own needs and in doing so we sell ourselves short of less than the best. We aren’t very good “need meeters.” But God is. He is the perfect provider and not only is His provision perfect, but it is always, always at just the right time. Waiting on God requires faith and trust. It requires believing that He really does have good things in store for those who wait on Him.
“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.”
-Lamentations 3:25
Instead of doubting God when you haven’t gotten what you want (or think you need) yet, trust Him in hope. Trust that He knows your needs and will meet them perfectly in His timing. Be active in faith, not passive in waiting which allows doubt and fear to creep in. Abraham “without weakening in his faith, faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.” -Romans 4:19-21
The Lord has good things in store for those who wait on Him, for the soul who seeks Him.
Wait on Him.
Seek Him.
He has good things in store for you.
Life Is Beauty-full 