Why Christians Need to Start Embracing the "Not Yet"

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.”   Psalm 23:1-4

The Lord is My Shepherd

Like the sheep that trust their shepherd to guide them through the hills, lead them to the meadows where they can eat, and protect them from the predators, so is God the good shepherd of our lives.He provides us with all that we need for this season of our life. He won’t lead us where He is not present. You may not have the best job you wish you did, you may be unemployed, or you may not be where you would like to in regards to your career choice, your dreams, and relationships. In this season of “not yet,” you can rest assured you have all you need because God Almighty is with you and his presence in your life is truly all you need.

Looking to God in the "Not Yet" Seasons

Instead of complaining or being dissatisfied with our current position in life, we should be thankful that God lets us rest from the cries of a broken and hurting world. Don’t misunderstand me, our world desperately needs us to rise up and be effective catalysts of change! But when God has us resting in “green meadows” it’s because He is working in us, equipping us, and preparing us for the God-glorifying work that is ahead.

Related Post: Waiting on God (Why It's Good Even When It's Hard)

My mentor once told me God sometimes withholds His greatest blessing from us because we aren’t ready to handle the magnitude of its greatness. Take a few minutes to ponder on that.That job you so passionately desire to obtain, well maybe you’re not ready for it yet. You still have some leadership qualities to learn or other basic skills most people overlook, but once you acquire those skills, then you’ll be ready to conquer what has been yours since the beginning!

Embrace it as a Season to Rest and Grow

Learn to embrace the “not yet” by resting in this season of preparation. There will be times in which you will get frustrated, upset, and even aggravated with God and your current circumstances.Let me just pause and whisper to you, “It’s ok to feel that way.” You’re only human; it’s going to happen. However, part of embracing the “not yet” means allowing God to lead you beside peaceful streams when you experience frustration, anger, and solitude.What does that look like? Well, allowing God to lead us beside peaceful streams means trusting Him. Trust - that’s it! One simple word yet so difficult to do because we are human, and humans want everything fast.

My Real Life Experience

Have you been in a hurry before? If you have, you know it’s not a pleasant feeling. December of 2016 I was blessed with the opportunity to visit the wonderful island of Puerto Rico. My flight from Puerto Rico to Dallas got delayed. When my flight arrived in Dallas I had only 30 minutes before my next flight.If you’ve taken a flight from DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) international airport, you know it’s not a small airport, and shuttles are required to reach your destination.When I got off my flight from Puerto Rico, I was very hungry. My initial thought was not, I have 30 minutes to get to my next flight, I better hurry! Instead, my thought was, I have 30 minutes to get myself some food.As I searched for food, I realized I was in the “Gate A” section of the airport. I looked down at my flight ticket and read “Gate F.” I needed to be in gate F within the next 20 minutes or I was going to miss my flight! Without hesitation, I quickly made my way to the shuttle and forgot about my hunger.Fear and worry consumed me as I waited on the escalator. I went into panic mode. I finally got to my destination and walked straight into the airplane. I sat in my seat trying to catch my breath. “Thank you, Jesus,” I whispered.If I hadn’t wandered off searching for food, I probably wouldn’t have panicked, and although it was a short time frame to get to my next flight, I wouldn’t have felt rushed to get there because my focus would have been on reaching my destination and not food.

Pay Attention to Where Your Focus is

I share this story in hope that you would understand that what we focus on has the potential to distract us or assure us of our destination. Part of embracing the “not yet” in our life means focusing on things that will guide us and strengthen us while enjoying the journey to what we hope to obtain or accomplish in the future.Things are lining up for you while you embrace the “not yet.” Trust, believe, give thanks, and have faith!Always remember the following:

He Allows

Sometimes, Yahweh God allows us to go through the fire and experience heartache as a form of preparation for the blessing He has for us.

He Leads

No matter our circumstances or how we feel, Yahweh God is still moving on our behalf and leading us in ways we don't realize.

He Restores

Yahweh God will indeed restore the brokenness and heartache we endured through His blessing for us.

He Guides

In spite of the detours we go on, God has a way of guiding us back to Him.