What if my expectation is taking longer than expected? This is the daily disturbance podcast with Anthony Fungi-Himang. Proverbs 1312, hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life. How hungry are you for what you ask for?
Mariselle was in the hospital 12 hours before she delivered Ella. Donnie was in less than 30 minutes before she delivered. When we arrived Hannah in the hospital she was delivered in 20 minutes and for Benjamin the record 10 minutes upon arrival. But in all cases, Mariselle never wavered in expecting our baby to come.
For Solana it was different because we tried a new method, a water birth delivery, so it was a bit longer. But in all five cases Mariselle never wavered in expecting the baby to come. Now perhaps illegal proceedings, matters of criminal justice, delays, they say, are denials. But from an all loving God, or K the universe, if that's what you prefer, some would, to the one that allows it, whatever is allowed is best for who is waiting.
In such a case, the delay is a gift. Jonathan Yui, a wonderful gift may not be wrapped as you expect. I can name a few delays I'm thankful for in life, in retrospect, of course, for example, in getting married and having our first child, in building our first home, in waiting for my masteral courses, in business and in change, years of waiting, while expecting. One thing I gained amidst the process of expecting while waiting is wisdom, for example, in coming up with new strategies, because the others weren't working.
For example, in motivating people, including my kids, initially it was just carrot and stick, right? The carrot was the incentive was the reward, the stick, discipline, fear, of course. And then I learned over time that self-expression was not negotiable. In fact, the most powerful motivator of all.
But this had to happen over time. Another thing I gained is patience, and add to that resilience while waiting. I love this illustration, God told me to push. This is not from me, but let me just illustrate, God told me to push this rock.
And so I pushed for a week, for a month. It wouldn't move, I kept pushing. A year, it wouldn't move. Finally, I couldn't help it.
I complained and said, God, you told me to push this. Why isn't it moving? And then God replied and said, I told you to push it. I didn't tell you to move it, right?
But by pushing it, now you're stronger. Now you're more patient. And certainly, not a quitter. Perhaps you have long been pushing.
Remember, there are people who are watching you as you push. Steve Marabali set the standard stop expecting others to show you love, acceptance, commitment, and respect when you don't even show that to yourself. Who is the object behind your expectation? In a purpose of a life seminar, there is one moving exercise where I asked all participants to get some materials and to create something from the materials that represents them.
Anything that represents them. So for a couple of minutes, more than a couple, you've got all participants using this barbecue stick, this colored paper, a rubber band here, a thumbtack there with some glue, with colored pens creating what they had hoped would represent them. Amazing. You would see people excited, some were concerned.
Even as I asked them and I processed after, how did you feel? Oh, I wish it would work. I was scared. I might fail.
I did it with so much care. And then I asked them, or asked them the second question. If that is how you felt, how do you think that your creator feel creating you? Wow, the object behind your expectation.
See, when you are expecting not for yourself, but for a loved one, you don't mind waiting. While expecting, you can also confuse the expectations of others just for fun. How beautiful it is to be silent when someone expects you to be enraged. Finally, it helps to seek divine timing, right?
And not just our own. Someone once reminded us. You must have heard this. God has seldom early, but he is never late.
And I quote Habakkuk 2-3, For the revelation awaits an appointed time. It speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it. It will certainly come and will not.