Joel Osteen - Trust While You Are Waiting
- Watch
- Audio
- Donate
- Contact Us
I want to talk to you today about Trusting While You’re Waiting. We all have times where we feel stuck, not making progress in our career, and haven’t met the right person, problem is not turning around. It’s easy to live frustrated, wondering why we can’t move forward, and stressed because we’re stagnant. But there are seasons where God will on purpose put you on hold, where you feel restricted. No matter how hard you try, it’s like there are forces that have you tied up. We don’t understand it, but it’s all a part of God’s plan. He’s getting everything lined up for your destiny: the right people, the good breaks, amazing relationships. And some things if they happen right now, it would keep us from his best.
God has a perfect time where everything will come into alignment. He’s already written every day of your life in his book. He knows exactly what you need, when you need it, and where you need to be. If you get there too soon or too late, it’s not going to work. The good news is: God is ordering your steps. He’s not going to let you miss your purpose. But when we’re in a growing season, seeing good breaks and new relationships, it’s easy to trust him, that doesn’t take much faith. But when you’re in a holding season where you’re restricted, it’s tempting to feel forgotten, overlooked, like God went on vacation. «Joel, I’ve been stuck at this same level». No, God is getting you in position for blessings, opportunities, divine connections that you’ve never seen.
You have to trust him while you’re waiting, trust him when you feel stagnant. If you’ll keep the right attitude in the restricted times, you’ll come to a point where God will loose you from what’s holding you back. The reason he has you restricted is because what he has planned is much better than you’ve imagined. Instead of resisting the restriction, living sour, rest in the restriction. Say like David (Psalm 31:15), «God, my times are in your hands. I’m going to be my best each day and trust you to get me to where I’m supposed to be».
See, I’ve learned: you can’t open a door that God has shut, you can’t move forward when God has put you on hold. He loves you too much to let you get ahead of his plan or behind his plan. If you don’t understand that God has holding seasons, that it’s a part of what he’s ordained, then you’ll live frustrated, trying to force things to happen, when in fact God is the one not letting you move forward because it would keep you from the greater things he has in store.
Mark chapter 11, Jesus was returning to Jerusalem with his disciples. He said to two of them in verse 2, «Go into that village ahead of us. And as soon as you enter it, you’ll see a colt tied up that’s never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone ask what you’re doing, tell them the Lord has need of it». The disciples went to the village, and just like Jesus said, they saw this baby donkey, a colt that was tied up. They went to untie it, someone came over and said, «What are you doing? It’s not your colt, you can’t take it». They said, «The Lord has need of it». These people had never seen the disciples, complete strangers, suddenly they changed their mind.
They took it back, this was the colt that Jesus came riding on into the City of Jerusalem on palm Sunday. This triumphant event where people put branches down and celebrated Jesus as their king. But think about this colt: it’s been tied up his whole life. It wants to run, play, go have fun, sees other animals out free, go and play, carrying things. But this colt is restricted, it’s never been ridden. I’m sure the colt thought, «Why’d I get tied up? Why can’t I go to different villages? Why won’t anybody ride me»? It looked like it was forgotten, but what the colt could have never known is he was tied up for a divine purpose. Zachariah 9:9 prophesied hundreds of years before Jesus' birth that the Messiah would come riding into Jerusalem on a colt. This colt thought he was restricted, but really he was reserved. God had set him apart, kept anyone from riding on him, so at the right time God could use him for a purpose greater than he ever imagined.
It’s the same principle with us: there are times God has us tied up. We don’t understand it, friends are being promoted, co-workers seeing dreams come to pass, and that relative moved into a nice house. We’re working hard, keeping God first place, but doors aren’t opening, things aren’t falling into place. Every time we try to move forward, it’s like there are forces pulling us back. We always think that’s the enemy, but sometimes God has us in a holding season. He’s keeping us from what we want only because he has something so much better. You think your restricted, have a new perspective: you’re reserved. God has set you apart for a higher purpose, something you can’t see, that you’ve never planned.
Now, trust him in the waiting seasons. Don’t live frustrated when you feel stagnant, upset because the door hasn’t opened. What if you knew God was holding you back because his plan is so much better? You would stay in peace, you would go through the waiting seasons not sour, «Why am I stuck?» but in faith, «God I trust your timing. I know I’m not restricted, I’m reserved. That you’ve set me apart for something amazing, for your divine purpose».
It’s interesting that Jesus told the disciples where the colt was, and how it was tied up, what the people were going to say, how to respond. The whole time the colt felt forgotten, but God knew every detail about the colt. God had already lined up the right people to untie it, he' already arranged for the owners to let him go, and made sure it was tied up at the right house, that it had never been ridden. All these details had to come into alignment. When we’re in a stagnant season, it’s easy to feel forgotten, «Joel, I’m at a disadvantage. I can’t get a good break. I’d take one step forward and two steps backwards», but like this colt, God knows exactly where you are. He knows what’s tied you up, the doors that have closed, the people that have overlooked you. Don’t believe the lies that you’re forgotten, God knows every detail of your life. The good news is: your story doesn’t end in restriction, being held back, tied up. There’s a time coming where God will say «Loose him. Untie him. I have need of him».
Notice these owners didn’t say, «No, no, this is our colt». They didn’t fight, they didn’t debate, they didn’t call 911, because what God has for you no person can stop, no bad break, no sickness, no force of darkness. You may be tied up now, but it’s only temporary. When you come into your appointed time, God will release every restriction, he’ll loose you from what’s held you back.
When the owners asked what the disciples were doing, Jesus told them to say «The Lord has need of him». It’s significant that this colt was needed. It had a specific role to play in the plan of God, was already prophesied hundreds of years earlier. Before you were formed in your mother’s womb, God lined up specific things for you to accomplish. He’s already planned out these times where you will step into favor, opportunity, and talent that you didn’t see coming. And sure you may go through some holding seasons, times where you feel stagnant, but like Jesus with this colt, there will be a time where God says, «I have need of you. I need that colt to carry me into the city. I need you for this promotion to take your family to a new level. I need you for this spouse I have lined up. I need you for this healing that I’ve ordained for you. I need you to pass to the church, Joel, when your father passed, to come out of obscurity into influence».
God has these destiny moments where he needs you to fulfill the divine purpose that he’s already established. You’re not here by accident, you’re here on assignment. The Creator of the universe has plans for you. When you feel restricted, like you’re in a holding season, lies will whisper, «You’re not important. You don’t have anything to offer», that’s what this colt represents, tied up, never been ridden. No, your time is coming. Keep reminding yourself: you’re not restricted, you’re reserved. God has set you apart. There are destiny moments where he will call your name and say, «I have need of Robert. I have need of Linda. I have need of Hose». Your name has been written into the story that Almighty God pinned before you got here.
When the enemy tries to make you feel insignificant, not worthy, nothing to offer, just answer back, «No, no, the Lord has need of me. The Most High God has an assignment for me to accomplish. I’m on his radar. He’s already planned my days». This colt was hidden in a small village, tied up in this little neighborhood, not in the big city where there was opportunity, many people, surely someone will notice. It was tied up in an obscure place, out of the way. All the circumstances said it was stuck, that it’d never be ridden, never reach its potential.
One day these two disciples showed up to this little village, this out of thee way place, came right to the colt and untied it. You may feel overlooked, you don’t see how you could get free, how you could get ahead, how you’ll meet the right person. You’re in an obscure place, not a lot of recognition. God has the right people already lined up to come to you. You don’t have to go after it, the blessing will come to you: the freedom, the spouse, the healing. It’s going to show up unexpectedly, a divine connection, a supernatural breakthrough, where suddenly you’re untied. God does what you couldn’t do, he releases the restriction.
This colt would have been happy just to be free and not tied up anymore, but watch how God works: it went from the little village, never been ridden, now it has Jesus the Messiah on its back, walking through Jerusalem with thousands of people all around. From obscurity to notoriety, from the background to the foreground, from no one paying attention to all eyes on it. God knows how to not only untie you, but to release you into favor, opportunity, influence that you’ve never seen.
When you’re in these holding seasons, you feel restricted, the key is to keep being your best where you are. It’s not up to you to bring yourself out, force doors to open, that’s going to cause you to get frustrated. At the right time God will make it happen, he’ll bring the right people, he’ll open the doors. In the meantime stay faithful where you are. Maybe it’s doing a small thing when you know you have so much more in you, working in a position where you’re way over qualified, but the doors haven’t opened. You don’t know what God is up to. Pass the test where you are. Maybe it’s believing for a child that’s not improving, you’re praying, standing in faith, seems like they’re getting worse. Can I encourage you? God has need of your child. You’re in a holding season now, God’s already lined up the time to untie him, to release him into his purpose. In the meantime keep honoring God, keep being your best each day. You’re going to come into these destiny moments where things suddenly change in your favor.
Friend of mine had a dream to play professional football. He was a quarterback in high school, but he didn’t start. There were other players better than him. His senior year he finally got to play, and he did okay, but not good enough to receive any offers from major colleges. The only one that was interested in was a smaller school. He played there, and again he was the backup until his senior year. He finished college and was hoping to get to the NFL, but nobody drafted him. Later he was given a chance to try out for the Green Bay Packers, hoping he’d make the team. This door opened, but 3 weeks later he was cut. He went back home and got a job at the local grocery store, stocking shelves, making $5.50 an hour. He could have slacked off, been bitter, but he stocked those shelves with excellence, making sure all the product was perfectly placed, everything lined up. Week after week month after month.
He had bigger dreams in his heart, he believed he could play in the NFL, but he’s restricted. Every time he tried the door closed. But the scripture (Habakkuk 2:3) says, «God has an appointed time to bring the dream to pass». When things aren’t going your way, and you’re in one of these holding seasons, you have to trust that God knows what he’s doing. Trust him while you’re waiting. You don’t have to force doors to open, manipulate, strive, strain. Just keep being your best where you are. God is ordering your steps. Sure there’ll be things we don’t understand, don’t seem fair, «Joel, if my steps are ordered, why am I still tied up? Why am I in this holding season? Why can’t I make any progress»? Maybe it’s because like that colt, God has something planned for you that you don’t see coming. You’re thinking ordinary, but God is thinking extraordinary. You think you’re restricted, when in fact you’re reserved. God has closed doors and stopped relationships, not let things work out because what he has planned is exceeding, abundantly, above and beyond what you can imagine.
Now, don’t get sour over the stagnant seasons, trust him while you’re waiting, stay in peace when you’re not making progress. And I’m not saying to accept mediocrity, settle there, but every closed door is not the enemy, every delay is not the opposition. God has holding seasons, times where we feel restricted, but it’s all serving his plan. If you don’t understand this, you’ll fight everything that doesn’t go your way, get discouraged because you’re stagnant, sour because things aren’t changing. Come back to a place of peace. God knows what he’s doing. His plans for you are for good. But some of those plans will feel like delays, and holding seasons, times where you’re doing the right thing, but not making progress.
Working at this grocery store, my friend got a call to play for a new football league. Not the NFL, but a much smaller league they were starting. He played there and did very well, the next season the St. Louis Rams and NFL team invited him to play. He made the team, but was the third string quarterback, again two players in front of him. Didn’t look like he’d get to play, but the first string quarterback got hurt, then the second string quarterback was injured. Much to his surprise, he was the starting quarterback, his dream had come true, made it to the NFL. But what God has planned will exceed your expectations. That next season, my friend Kurt Warner threw over 40 touchdown passes, and led his team to the Super Bowl. In the biggest game of the year, the last second he threw another touchdown pass, and they won the Super Bowl. He broke the record for the most passing yards, and was awarded «The most valuable player of the Super Bowl».
Who would have ever thought, stocking shelves at a grocery store, that a few years later he would be the MVP of the Super Bowl? That’s like that colt tied up all those years, then all of the sudden it’s carrying Jesus through Jerusalem. He went from making $5.50 an hour to making 40 million a year playing football. Some of you are thinking, «God, I’ll go stock some shells», but all these holding seasons, delays, we feel stuck, «Joel, I’m not making any progress», you can’t see what God is doing. You don’t know what he’s already lined up for you. Sometimes he has to close doors to keep us in his perfect will. He has to hold us back, so we don’t miss the greater things he has in store.
Don’t fight the stagnant seasons, times where you can’t see it get ahead, others being promoted, you’re being left out. God has already set the time where he’ll say, «Untie them. Loose them and let them go». You are coming into a time of release, where like Kurt, God’s going to release you into uncommon favor, release you into uncommon abundance, uncommon influence. Look like you were stuck, that sickness had you tied up — God’s about to release you into healing. Look like that child would be always off course, tied up compromising, tied up in addictions — God’s about to untie some things, he’s about to release them into freedom, into purpose, into victory.
This is what happened to David in the scripture. He was a teenager out in the shepherd’s fields, taking care of his father’s sheep, looked like he was stuck, no opportunity, alone, boring, same thing every day: feed the sheep, clean up their waste, make sure they’re not harmed. What could that lead to? David had big things in his heart, he could feel seeds of greatness, but he was in a holding season, nothing changing, no sign of doors opening. Thoughts whispered, «God’s forgotten about you. This is as good as it gets». David didn’t get bitter, he didn’t slack off, he trusted God in the waiting seasons. He kept being his best even though nothing was changing.
One day the prophet Samuel came to his house and anointed him as the next king of Israel. David didn’t go after that, it came to him. It looked like he was restricted, the truth is: he was reserved. God had him on hold for a purpose. These times you feel stuck, if you’ll just keep doing the right thing, like with David, like with that colt, at the appointed time God will send someone to untie you.
David was anointed, but he didn’t go to the palace he went back to the shepherd’s fields. You can be anointed, but not appointed yet. You know God gave you the dream, but you’re in a holding season. Well, David eventually went to the palace, but king Saul was was jealous of him, tried to kill him. He had to flee for his life, and he spent years in the desert on the run, hiding from Saul, stuck in the caves. Another holding season, not making any progress. But the scripture says in the Psalms 106:13, «The Israelites did not wait for God’s plan to unfold». They were impatient, they complained about the delays, got discouraged because doors weren’t opening, when in reality God was protecting them, he was keeping them from opposition that was too big for them to handle at the time.
If you’re going to see the fullness of what God has for you, you have to go through these waiting seasons, these times where you feel restricted, it’s not working out, thoughts telling you «It’s always going to be like this». No, you’re not restricted, you’re reserved. God is working out his plan for your life. At the right time he’ll say, «I have need of you». He’ll release you into new levels of your purpose.
I look back over my life, and I can see these holding seasons, times where I felt restricted. I work behind the scenes at Lakewood many years, doing the television production. And we would put on concerts, and conferences, and all these live events. I love doing that, but over time my father didn’t want to do it anymore. At one point I lined up all these radio stations to carry his messages. We’d never been on radio. I took the audio from the television broadcast, and made these programs. Asked my father if he’d come down to the church once a month, just for 30 minutes, and make the openings and closings for the program.
I was so excited, another great outreach, but I’ll never forget what he told me. He said, «Joel, I’m 75 years old, I don’t want to do anymore work. I just want to relax and pastor the church». I was so disappointed, I thought, «God, I’m young. I don’t want to shrink back, I want to do more». Had big things in my heart. All this passion and energy to make a difference. I thought, «Maybe it’s time to go work somewhere else», had an opportunity at a big sports network, another large ministry wanted me to come, but when I searched my heart I could hear a still small voice saying, «Joel, stay where you are. This is your father’s vision, honor what he wants to do».
I made the decision to not just stay, but to stay with a good attitude. It’s one thing to go through a holding season bitter, sour, poisoning people. How you go through these stagnant times will determine how long you stay there. I did my best to make my father look good, everything I could to cause him to shine. What I didn’t know was two years later my father would have a heart attack, go to be with the Lord, and I would become the pastor. That was never on my radar. I never dreamed I would be a minister, that I’d be able to do this. I realize now: God put those big things in my heart, but it wasn’t the right time. He had me in a holding season where I felt restricted. I knew there were bigger things in me, but God knows the right time.
Had I gone off to another job, I would have missed this. Had I stayed here sour, «This isn’t fair, why can’t we do more?» I don’t think I would be up here. You have to trust in the waiting seasons. You have to be still and know that he is God. You may feel restricted today, in some area of your life you’re being held back, you wonder why things aren’t changing, why aren’t doors opening. It’s easy to get frustrated, but God can see things we can’t see. He has plans for you you’ve never thought of. If you knew what he has in store, you would wait for his plan to unfold.
I’m asking you to be your best when you’re not getting your way. Stay in faith when you seem stagnant, things aren’t improving. Keep reminding yourself: you’re not restricted you’re reserved. God has you set apart for something greater, were like that colt, he says «I have need of you». There are destiny moments already lined up for you from before you were born, where God is going to release you into levels you’ve never imagined. Now, keep trusting when you don’t understand. Stay faithful in the holding seasons. If you’ll do this, I believe and declare: God is about to untie you. You’re going to see a supernatural release into favor, release in into freedom, release into amazing relationships, abundance, healing, the fullness of your destiny, in Jesus name. And if you receive it, can you say amen?