I’m an observer. I notice what people wear, how they smell, whether the inside of their car is clean. Random things really. I watch if they ever swear, how they speak about their wives, how they serve tea. I study their habits. Not in an intense, creepy kind of way. (I don’t own ‘night vision goggles’!) But I have a good memory and I’ve learnt to watch people closely to see what I can discern about them and how I can speak into their situation.

One of my strongest ‘gifts’ is to tell people what they already know. It’s a strange one to possess, but possess it I most certainly do! Alot of the time when I speak to people, or give out ‘words’, I am not saying anything that is radical or life-changing. What I am doing is reminding the person of promises God has already made, things He has already done, truths He has already spoken. Alot of nodding and crying ensues, but not many exclamations of surprise. Often my presence and words bring relief; a reminder of purpose, calling and meaning. Rarely is it something fresh, new or ‘unseen’ to the person involved. Odd really, but I’ve learnt it’s one way God uses me!

This weekend I met a lovely young girl who prayed for me. After the prayer time I told her that God had given me a message for her. It was simple, straight-forward and easy. The word was this:

“I gave you that dream, so I will make it happen. But not now. So stop feeling like you are doing something wrong. Stop trying to make it happen. Don’t feel abandoned. I didn’t say no, I said ‘wait’.”

That was it.

She looked as though someone had kissed her. Relief flooded over her. She sensed this deep down. All she needed was someone to corroborate the story of her heart. I didn’t know her name, but I’d watched her for an hour. I could sense a desperation as she flung her arms to heaven, singing with all her heart. Here was a girl longing to see her destiny fulfilled.

But, as so often happens, hearing nothing from God leads us to a place of frustration and self-doubt. When we ask, and the doors remain shut, we can think we are asking the wrong question.

But Jesus taught us to ‘pray and never give up.’ I am currently praying a whoppingly stupid prayer. I’ve prayed it almost every day for 9 months and I’m going to carry on praying it. It makes no human sense and is, on the surface of things, a monumental waste of time. Even my best friend told me to let it go. But something in my spirit is holding it up to Father still. I am praying and not giving up. My sense is that God has not said ‘no’, you see.

All fruit is seasonal. An apple tree can look stunted and barren in one season and be beautiful and laden with fruit in another. It’s the same tree. Different time.

The other day I read a sign on the side of a packet of painkillers. It said : “Keep all medicines out of the sight and reach of children.” Now it certainly didn’t USED to say that. They have added the ‘out of sight’ bit haven’t they?

I believe that many of us are in a season of waiting, where, for our own good Father is keeping things not just ‘out of reach,’ but ‘out of sight’ too, so that we trust Him more fully.

So my friend, I hold a mirror up to you today and say this over your life:
God is not saying ‘no.’ He is saying wait. But you knew that already, didn’t you?