BY DAWN REED

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding, (Proverbs 3:5). Sometimes it is not so easy.

In Luke, Chapter 1, we find the story of Elizabeth, a woman who loved God and walked with Him. She had been young once and had married a man who also loved God – a priest even, named Zechariah. They had plans.

Things had not gone at all as Elizabeth thought they would. She and her husband were both from priestly families. She fully expected to have a bunch of little priests running around – a whole houseful of kids. There would be lots of boys and lots of girls, and then tons of grandchildren.

But that is not how life had turned out. She did not have a houseful. She did not even have one baby. And it took a toll.

Elizabeth not only took it to heart, but she was judged in her community. Verse 25 hints at her sorrow. A woman’s J-O-B was to have babies back then. And she was a priest’s wife. People likely thought she had sin in her life, that God was surely punishing her.

Month after month, she was disappointed, heartbroken. By the time we learn of Zechariah and Elizabeth, they had waited for decades.

Life does not always work out as we planned. Sometimes when we are frustrated about how God is working or how long He is taking, we start to lean on our own understanding, what we think is going on. We stop reading the Bible, going to church and praying.

Here we have an old woman who has waited her whole life for God to answer her prayer. And what did she do? She stayed steadfast, even though. Even though life had not turned out as she had hoped. Even though she was barren.

Luke 1:6 tells us they were “righteous in the sight of God.” That is significant. He sees everything. They did not just act righteous in public, but also at home. They observed all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. Furthermore, were not halfway surrendered; they were fully surrendered to God.

Verse 7 starts with the word “but.” They were doing all the right things … But…

Do you have a “but” in your life?

Zechariah and Elizabeth had not given up on God. And God had not given up on them. He had a plan and was working even though they could not see it. His plan was mind-blowing. It was more than either of them could have imagined.

Elizabeth had been waiting for a son. What are you waiting for? What is your “taking forever, this-is-getting-hard-to-wait” prayer?

The LORD sees you. He is for you. Not against you. He has a plan for you. Can you trust Him with all your heart and not lean on your own understanding? Can you stay steadfast, walking with Him “even though?” He will help you as you wait (Isaiah 40:31).

Words from the song Way Maker are great encouragement: “Even when I do not see it, You are working, Even when I do not feel it, You are working, You never stop, You never stop working, You never stop, You never stop working.”

Thank you, Zechariah and Elizabeth, for your real-life example of Proverbs 3:5.