Commit your actions to the Lord and your plans will succeed. – Proverbs 16:3

We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9

So, don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.  Matthew 6:34

On New Year’s Eve 2014, I was desperately searching for the perfect shoes to go with my outfit that night. With the help of Pinterest, I had the complete vision of my entire look in my head and I was determined to complete that look no matter what. My first stop was Macy’s where I found some really nice shoes for a pretty good price. My eyes landed on one pair that I liked, so I tried them on. They fit pretty well and they were cute, and as I began to walk around in them, I started to really envision my complete look in my mind… “This just might work out,” I thought to myself.

But the longer I walked in them, the more uncomfortable I began to feel… I told myself that it wasn’t that bad, and besides, I was pressed for time. While I figured I could handle the slight discomfort, something else about them didn’t completely fit the puzzle. But I didn’t feel like there was enough time to look for an alternative. So I was torn. On one hand, my gut kept telling me not to force it and to keep looking, but on the other hand, I was afraid to end up with nothing. Finally, I gave in and left the shoes at the counter and went to another store. The pickings in the next place were pretty slim, but lo and behold, I found a pair…And. They. Were. Perfect! They were exactly what the outfit needed and they felt great. I stayed in that store for a half an hour trying to find something wrong with them and I couldn’t. I finally made my purchase and never looked back, because when you are truly satisfied, there is no reason to.

This seemingly frivolous story about shoes was actually a lesson for me about patience. In so many areas of my life, patience is a huge struggle for me. Maybe you can blame it on where I am from, but I always want stuff to happen in a New York Minute. But God doesn’t work that way. This fact leads me into many frustrating moments with God, because some things don’t appear to be happening fast enough for me. I’ve asked questions like, When will the right person for me come along? When will I make this amount of money? When will I have washboard abs?… The list goes on and on…Many times, I let the pressures of life and my obsession with time force me in a direction that God didn’t intend for me in that moment, or even at all…

If I could be totally transparent, I can honestly tell you that I’ve done this so many times when it came to relationships, finances and even in my career. Like the story about my shoes, I have been guilty of forcing things that were doomed from the beginning because I was so focused on time and not God. I have pursued things wholeheartedly without consulting Him at all. I have ignored warning signs, flashing lights and oncoming trains just so that I could feel like something was happening in that area. I would say things like “it will get better,” or “that problem isn’t a huge deal,” or “he’ll grow out of that,” or “he’s too good-looking to just give up on” lol…I would say literally whatever it took to keep me moving forward with my decision. Although I would move forward with it, the problems grew the longer I “walked” in that situation. It became increasingly evident that it was just not a good fit for me. And it didn’t matter how hard I tried to make someone or something fit into God’s plan for my life, it never worked out. Why? Because I had to learn to let God be God. I am grateful that God allowed me to go through those things and suffer the consequences, because it has taught me a great deal about patience and his sovereignty. Now I know that whoever or whatever God has for me will be amazing and I won’t need to shop around. It will be exactly what I need.

Patience is key! Good things truly do come to those who allow God’s plan to work out in their lives. God is fully capable of taking good care of us. But He is also all-knowing, and for Him, timing is everything. He knows exactly what we need and when we can handle it. That’s why it is so important to wait for God to introduce things into our lives. We have to stop taking matters into our own hands when things don’t seem to be happening fast enough. It’s for a good reason. I think there would be a lot less heartache and debt in the world if we all learned to operate in patience. Now, you may be wondering what to do while you wait for God to fulfill the things that you want in life.  The bible says clearly that we should seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give us everything we need (Matthew 6:33). That’s it. You see, God already knows everything. He has already written the score, arranged the parts and is now masterfully conducting every single piece of your life. Our job is simple. We should concentrate our efforts on spending time with Him, becoming more like Him in our thinking and in our actions, and giving Him the glory along the way. God already knows what you need, so let Him lead you to the perfect fit.