John 11:5-6 “ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days.”

For our first seven years of marriage, my husband’s occupation relocated us frequently. Having never lived apart from parents, siblings, and familiar surroundings, this young girl’s heart longed for home.  Etched in memory are my tears as we latched the door of our U-Haul, said goodbye, and my world disappeared in the rear-view mirror.

Those were not especially easy years.  I longed for parents to be closer as we added two baby boys to our nest. Making new friend groups every year was a challenge at best.  About the time we found our place within a church family, we were relocated. To top it off, each move became more difficult as two little boys delighted in unpacking boxes faster than I could tape them shut.

Perhaps due to immaturity, I viewed those seven years as wasted time – simply “paying our dues.” But, isn’t it amazing how God can use “wasted time” to fulfil His glory? He proved it through Lazarus many years before he planned to prove it through me.  When Lazarus became ill, his family wanted Jesus to come quickly and heal him. Their faith in the Messiah provided them hope Lazarus would not die.  But instead of rushing to Lazarus’ side, Jesus purposefully waited. By human standards, this was certainly not the time to dawdle, but Jesus’s impeccable timing was designed to bring glory to the Father. By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus was dead, mourned, wrapped, and buried. But witnessing the Master breathe precious life back into the dead body of Lazarus brought immeasurably more glory to the Father than merely healing his illness could ever have brought.

When we become aware of God’s impeccable timing, our eyes open to His purpose. As young newlyweds far from home, my husband and I quickly bonded and learned to rely on each other. Running to mom and dad when disputes arose was not an option so we developed problem-solving skills together.

Being an introvert caused me great difficulty making new friends every year.  It was a gracious God who provided me the confidence to step out of my comfort zone and extend friendship, resulting in many golden friends scattered around the world today.

Moving to locations where only a single congregation existed meant no shopping around for our favorite minister, worship leader, demographics, etc. However, we were always welcomed with open arms and quickly integrated into the church family. No more “pew sitting.”  We found ourselves in charge of VBS, youth group activities, ladies retreats, and oh so much more.  As an added bonus, today I am the proud owner of quite a large repertoire of delicious church pot-luck recipes!

Completing that season of “paying our dues” and transitioning back to the Bible Belt was sensory church-overload. Seven years prior, our criteria for choosing a church home would have been to find a church with comfy pews, since “pew sitting” was what we did best. But things were different now.  Reflecting on that difficult season today, I realize God invested seven years into growing us for His Glory. My heart is filled with gratitude for the way God used that “wasted time” to mold us into His desired design.

Father God, grant us patience to see your purpose in our waiting.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane