Do you remember the old photo booths that used to be in stores and shopping centers? You could get in the booth with a friend, get in the right position, check your image on the screen, insert some coins, and get ready for the pictures.

The pictures would start and you’d have a few seconds to move into different positions or poses in between. Most of the would give you four pictures. After the photos are taken you step outside of the booth and wait for the photos to be printed. That wait was the hard part. Eventually the photos would be printed and dropped into a bin on the side.

Taking the photos is fun, but waiting those few minutes for the developing is so hard! It seems to take forever, but sooner or later you know the pictures will come through.

Sometimes when things seem to be moving ahead rapidly in my life and God is obviously working, I hear His still small voice saying, “Wait!” I’m ready to move on to the next project or plan and God says, No, not now. That isn’t what I want to hear! I fear that if I wait, the thing will be forgotten. I worry that putting it off will only allow some obstacle will keep it from happening, and I won’t get what I want . . . or by the time I get it, I won’t want it.

Throughout my life I learned some hard lessons that in those times when God chooses to not answer my prayers right away in my own timing, I need to take the focus off of my agenda and simply focus on Him. This is when I know that He loves and cares for me and I trust that He will care for me in His timing as He knows what is best.

God is faithful, and I know this. Because he is faithful I can wait and know that when His timing comes, all things will work out according to His plan.

Lord, during those times when I am struggling to have patience and wait on your timing, give me that patience that I need and help me to understand that you are still in control.

Ann Shorb is a counselor and the founder of CCES. She works with a wide variety of clients and provides counseling services for many different issues.