Good morning. Good morning, everyone. Happy Tuesday or whatever day you're listening

to this episode on. Welcome back to the messy masterpiece podcast with your hosts, Chad

and Tori. And we're just going to go and jump into today's episode.

Yes, you guys. I'm excited. I've been loving this study by Charles Stanley on waiting

on God. And today we're going to be reading out of first Peter five verses eight and nine.

It says, be alert and have sober mind. Your enemy at the devil prowls around like a roaring

lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith because you

know that the family of believers throughout the world is going through the same kind

of suffering. The devotional says, how long, O Lord, no one likes delays and nothing diminishes

the pain we feel as the days pass and we continue to struggle with our hopes and fears.

Whether it's the hours that throw off our plans, the days and weeks that cause uncertainty,

or the years we spend wondering if God will ever fulfill His promises to us, it's human

to feel frustrated, anxious, and as if our hopes are dying within us. Why? Because we

lack control over our circumstances. Someone else seems to be impeding our progress, deciding

how the scant moments we've been given in this life will be spent and preventing us from

enjoying the one thing we think will truly make us happy. Like David, we cry out, how

long, O Lord, will you forget me forever, Psalm 131? I don't know what it is you're hoping

for, but I do know that we're reading this for a reason. I also know firsthand that

waiting on God is one of the most difficult lessons to learn. I imagine that like David,

there's a lot of pain in your heart as you wait. Perhaps you fear the Lord's forgotten

you. Maybe you can't help but wonder, why not me? What makes me so unworthy? Friend,

I know it hurts more deeply than words can express. Please be assured that there's always

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