“Trusting in His timing,” I’d say with a keen smile and a nervous flick of the hand. It was my go-to response whenever someone questioned the childless state of my marriage.

But the truth is that I didn’t trust His timing at all. In fact, I did most everything I possibly could to force my own timing in the matter. I watched my diet, exercised more, exercised less, ate pumpkin seeds, cut dairy, stressed out about trying not to stress out. I did it all. For nearly ten years, I did it all.

I remember the day my husband and I reflected on our decade-long wait; I waddled with an almost eight-month pregnant belly while he walked beside me on a warm summer evening. “I’m grateful for our wait,” I said to him with a smile. Because I see now all of the ways God used it shaped us, to strengthen our marriage, to mold us into who we are today. And though the tears and the trials and the longing seemed more like a curse while we were going through it, I see now that it was all a blessing, all a part of His glorious plan for our lives.

I think we all have soft spots on our hearts, those pliable bits we are willing to give away to God. But what about the hardened parts? What about your intimate desires and your greatest fears and your wildest dreams? Are you willing to allow God to shape those pieces of your lives, too?

I’d imagine that it would be freeing, really, to allow ourselves to bend and shift and sway under the unyielding strength of love, to abandon expectation or guilt or worry, to clearly and confidently say, “Your will be done.”

So, whatever it is you are waiting for—a job, a house, a relationship—give it to Him. Allow yourself to be molded by the Potter’s hands, and then sit back and marvel in the ways in which He is shaping you today. (Jeremiah 18:5)

[bctt tweet="So, whatever it is you are waiting for—a job, a house, a relationship—give it to Him." username="IamBritCal"]

Trust in His timing, dear sisters. He is molding you into something beautiful. . . even in this waiting.

Brittany Calavitta is an enthusiastic advocate for a good book, strong coffee, and a hopeful heart. After battling years of infertility, she and her husband welcomed their first child on September 11, 2016. You can find out more about her here.