Waiting For My Temporary to Change

“All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.” Job 14:14 (KJV)

Temporary. 

I can totally forget in a hot minute what that word means when challenges find me. The enemy just loves to mess with our heads until we are thoroughly convinced we are permanently stuck in our situations and circumstances instead of temporarily on our way to passing through. 

Temporary means for a time only, brief, passing, transitory, short-lived.

Unlike its counterpart, permanent, which means never changing, set in stone, fixed. Stuck.

What brings change to our circumstances is a God who is anything but stuck and never rendered unable to change any situation. He is also known to do some changing us admid circumstances that make us feel stuck. 

Esther and her people faced the threat of total annihilation. It would prove to be a temporary detour on the road to liberation and victory over their enemies.

Ruth labored in a field of leftovers with no hope of a better day. Her situation was temporary because God had a plan she knew nothing about. 

Sarah waited for the promise of a child long after her hair had turned grey. It would still prove to be temporary, just waiting on God’s timing. 

Joesph looked to be bound to a life in prison, having been sold into slavery by his brothers and then falsely accused. It turned out they were just temporary setbacks on his way to a God promotion. 

While Daniel was in the lion’s den, it looked like he would never see the rising sun again. Again, it would prove to be just a temporary circumstance waiting until God could show the king who the one true God was and that He had the power to save those who serve Him. 

While Noah was riding out the flood, it looked and probably felt like the waters would never recede. Again, it was just temporary waiting on God to dry up the water and all the mud so Noah wouldn’t get his shoes muddy when he stepped out of the ark. Then, to celebrate, He lit the sky with promise with all the colors of a rainbow. 

After wandering in the wilderness for forty years, the Israelites wondered when they would ever set foot in the Promised Land. God had them camping out temporarily until He could teach a generation about what it looked like to trust in Him and that grumbling and complaining would never get them anywhere. 

And then that brings us to Jesus, who was dead, buried, and put in a tomb that seemingly had been sealed shut forever. It looked like all hope was lost, but God showed up again. After three days, God rolled away the stone along with death and the power of sin when Jesus rose victoriously so that we would never be stuck by anything the enemy would throw against us again. 

Temporary.

So many things are only meant to be temporary, yet look and feel permanent on this side of heaven. God gives us wisdom through His word to know the difference through prayer and His word. We just need to seek Him for the wisdom we need. 

Lord, help us not live like we are stuck in temporary situations. Help us trust in You and Your great plans for us. Your timing is always perfect, even when we can’t see it. You will never leave us stuck and stranded, so we can wait in faith and expectation of your great faithfulness. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. 

“All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.” Job 14:14

I will wait until God proves that all the things that make me feel stuck in hopeless and despair are only temporary. He will always bring me change for good and His glory in His perfect timing. 

What things make you feel stuck today? How can you wait in expectation of God’s faithfulness till He changes your temporary situations for your good and His glory?