Seasons of waiting. Seasons of pain. We’ve all been there. And boy do they seem to drag on and on and on and…

You get the point.

There are things in my life I’ve been praying and believing for, for years. YEARS. Things my heart cries out desperately for.

On my good days I pump myself up with phrases like “It’s just not God’s timing yet” And “He’s working it all together for good”.

On my bad days, my heart cries out those questions I don’t usually dare to speak aloud. “Why God?” “Where are you?” “Why are you allowing this to continue?”

In those seasons, it seems like He’s silent, and sometimes I pass the time by imagining how He’s going to answer those prayers. I have a very vivid imagination. I can see it clearly, how it will all fall into place. Perfectly. Just like I envision it.

And you know what? A time or two He didn’t answer like I had envisioned it at all. Many times He has exceeded my expectations. Then there are those prayers that have not been answered, or answered in a way that didn’t align with my perfect plan, and it’s like air being released from a balloon. I am left feeling somewhat deflated.

Do my unmet expectations mean that the answer, and the timing, are not perfect? Or perfectly planned? No. Do feelings of disappointment mean that my God is not good? Absolutely not.

““For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways.” It is a declaration of Adonai. “For as the heavens are higher than earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55:8-9‬ ‭TLV‬‬

In the book of Zechariah, a remnant of Israelites have returned to Judah to rebuild the temple. The destruction is overwhelming, and the task monumental. They begin to grow weary of the rebuilding, and they wonder how they could ever return this rubble to its previously, extra fabulous state.

I like colorful sentences sometimes. Just go with it.

Anyhoo, as they look around at the state of their lives, the temple still unfinished; land that was hard to live on; the neighbors super rough, and Jerusalem merely a shadow of its former glory; discouragement begins to settle over their lives. They begin to wonder if they will ever see justice, or that if God would truly ever reign from this mess of a city.

In chapter 8, God gives Zechariah a word of encouragement for the people. Twice in the chapter He tells them “do not fear” and “let your hands be strong” as He encourages them to continue the work of rebuilding the temple. God also assures them He would not change His mind about blessing them. A time was coming when they would no longer mourn and fast for their sins. They would feast and rejoice!

In chapter 9, as Zechariah encourages the remnant in the rebuilding of the temple, he prophesies of the Messiah, the one God would send to rescue the people. This same Messiah would rule over all the earth.

“Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you, a righteous one bringing salvation. He is lowly, riding on a donkey— on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭9:9‬ ‭TLV‬‬

Do you know that this prophecy would take 500+ years to be fulfilled? Zechariah was assuring them that one day, their King would come and they would never have to worry about invading armies again.

And God kept His promise. 500 years later, as Jesus entered Jerusalem on a colt the week of his death. Talk about God’s timing not being our own.

When Jesus came riding in on the donkey, the expectation was great. The people wanted to be free from Roman rule, and they expected Jesus to take His throne as King on earth and rectify all of the injustices they had faced.

The Israelites expected a King that would rule and reign over a generation, but God had a plan for many generations.

And here, we are reminded that His ways are not our ways. His purposes are definitely greater, and His timing is the most perfect.

In Zechariah the Israelites had to “make their hands strong” and complete the task. They had to have just enough faith to believe God would do the things He promised He would do, even if their expectations didn’t match His timeline.

2000+ years later God’s people are still waiting for the second half of Zechariah’s prophecy to be fulfilled, the one where our King comes back to rule and reign over all the earth.

“And I will cut off and exterminate the war chariot from Ephraim and the [war] horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off; and He shall speak the word and peace shall come to the nations, and His dominion shall be from the [Mediterranean] Sea to [any other] sea, and from the River [Euphrates] to the ends of the earth! [Ps. 72:8.]”
‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭9:10‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

God’s promise, until that glorious day, is to complete the good work He began in you, until. That means it doesn’t end with you. He keeps working until the King arrives.

I don’t know what great expectations you have today, but I know we all have them. Remember friend, that if you don’t see your prayers answered on your timeline, or even in your lifetime, that God always keeps His promises. He is still good, and His plan is perfect.

What can you do in a practical sense when you are in a waiting season?Keep praying and believing, because your prayers don’t have an expiration date. How amazing is that? Make your hands strong and keep building what The Lord has given you to build. And keep trusting Him, friend. Even when, and especially if, you can’t see Him moving. He is always working on your behalf.

“And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭AMPC‬‬