For over a year I waited and  prayed, knowing God would answer in His perfect time. And then-it happened, quickly and somewhat unexpectedly. Or was it? When we pray, trusting God and believing that His ways are perfect and He answers  “yes” in His time, then should we be surprised?

I have desired for almost two years to sell my home and downsize  to a community with neighbors in my stage of life.  During the past five years I have lived here, I’ve formed very few connections. Even those connections have been shallow. I have never experienced a sense of belonging where I currently reside.

When my  house was recently listed for sale, I received an offer in less than forty-eight hours. I cried tears of joy that God had answered so quickly.  Although the contract wasn’t as ideal as I had hoped, the buyers  appeared genuinely interested in my home. They visited multiple times, and I had the opportunity to meet them personally. During those visits they expressed how much they loved the house.

For more than two weeks, the sale progressed with confidence from my realtor this was a solid contract. One of the provisions of the contract was the sale would be finalized within thirty days of signing. As a single, senior residing in a large home, preparing for this move required tremendous time and energy.

Daily, as I packed one box after the other, I thanked God for the blessing of selling my home. And then- again-it happened, quickly and somewhat unexpectedly. Just as rapidly as the sale itself, was now the unpredicted termination of the contract. Buy why? I may never know the buyers’s rationale.  I knew immediately God said “no, not now.”

When my realtor telephoned with the update, I accepted it with grace and gratitude, as I understood God had an altered plan. Yet, as the days passed and I walked past the countless packed boxes, the realization that I was not moving until a later date,  I became discouraged.

Why does God give and then take away? Seldom do we comprehend. I petitioned God for His peace and understanding as my melancholy was great.

Today, as I completed my household tasks, I listened to one of Rick Warren’s messages. He reminded us that while in God’s waiting room,  He has not forsaken us.  God continues to walk alongside us, allowing these seasons of waiting to deepen our faith, strengthen our character and teach us to trust Him more fully.

People are always watching us, even when we don’t realize it. The way we respond during difficult seasons becomes a testimony to others. Our reactions reveal whether our faith rests in circumstances or in God.

As I continue to wait, I am reminded that God’s “not yet” plans remain good, even when I can’t understand. The same God who opened the door is the God who closed it and I know both decisions were made in His love and according to His perfect will. NKJ Psa. 27:14, “wait on the Lord; be of good coursage, and He shall strengthen your heart…”