Exceedingly Worth the Long Wait

Posted on by Jennifer Arimborgo

“Then Jesus told his disciples… that they should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1, NIV).

So here’s the news I promised you yesterday… (Drum roll please…) Fiber optic Internet has been installed at my house!

…with a speed at least fifteen times faster than what we endured for over two decades!!

My friend, this changes everything. Everything! EVERYTHING! I tend to be pretty even keel in my personality and emotional expression. But I have been through the roof excited about this. Pages load just like that! I can do my blog soooooooooo much more easily! I can stream videos instead of having to download them ahead of time for six hours! Wheeeeee!

There is a spiritual lesson in this. Holy Spirit pointed this out to me the other day. Remember the “Never, never, never give up” story from yesterday? That ties right into another, weightier story about sudden breakthrough after a long, long wait.

Over fifteen years ago, I went to a certain beauty salon here in Iquitos for the first time. I had heard good things about it, and wanted to check it out. A young man named Jerry greeted me upon my arrival, asking me what service I was needing. A few hours later, I went home with a brand new look, and a brand new friend.

When Jerry moved to a different salon job in town, I inquired where he went. I followed him there and sought out his talents again. Some time later, he opened his own store. I found out where that was and sought him out once again.

Years went by, and I kept on going to Jerry. Each time, I shared a little bit more with him about Jesus. In turn, he shared a little bit more with me about himself. I could tell that I had earned his trust. He was sharing from deeper places, hurts that he had been through, struggles he was currently facing. Yet, he was enjoying his worldly lifestyle. My faith inspired mild curiosity for him, but nothing more… yet.

A few years ago, the time came when he was willing to come to church with me. The first night he came, I was nervous! What was he going to think? It turns out, my worries were unfounded. Jerry wept openly in the presence of God as the service progressed. “Wow, I feel so good!” he exclaimed, when it was over. “There is so much peace in your church!”

I thought maybe Jerry’s moment had come. Yet, patience was required of me still. The pandemic hit. We were not able to gather as a church for much of 2020. Even once we could come together in person again, he was too nervous to join us. So, I just kept on visiting his salon, kept on sharing Jesus with him.

You know what? Last week, I went in for my hair appointment. When he was done working on my hair, he asked me if I would pray for him. In fifteen plus years, this had never happened before!

As I began to pray, the tangible presence of God showed up in that hair salon. Jerry and I both had tears in our eyes. One thing led to another as I followed Holy Spirit’s lead… and then this lost sheep was repeating the sinner’s prayer with me. He invited Jesus into his heart as Lord and Savior!

My friend, some things are well worth investing years and years of your life for. Is there someone you are praying for today?

Never, never, never give up!

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Gal 6:9, NIV).

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Have you long been praying for someone in your life to come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior? What has that journey been like for you?

27 thoughts on “Exceedingly Worth the Long Wait”

  2. So good! Thank You, Jesus!! His timing is so perfect and so beautiful: for us (growing that perseverance and love that’s enlarging our heart to run in the path of His commands) and for others (to prepare their hearts to receive Him whole heartedly). Thank You, Jesus!

    This verse is so touching me and fits so well with what you share here:
    2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV
    And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

    There are SO many areas in my life where grace is abounding for me and things are flowing in Holy Spirit power. Then – there’s two areas that the enemy was using to discourage me (and blind me to the amazing grace abounding in and for me) – but in these two areas I am going to claim this Promise too – as God promises here “in ALL things at ALL times” – which means even in the waiting there’s grace flowing in abundance of the fruits He wishes to grow in me here: self-control and patience, thankfulness and a joyful submission to God’s mighty plan. Did I say already: thank You, Jesus!

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    1. As always, your thoughtful sharing brings joy and a smile to my heart! Holy Spirit also used it to bring back to my memory a dream He gave me a couple years ago or so that was such a neat visual of running in the path of His commands. I unite myself to those thanks to Jesus!

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      1. Oh my! That is so precious! Thank you for sharing, Jennifer. I would love to hear more because it reminds me of a vision God gave me at a discipleship course. The leader asked us to ask God for a vision for someone (and that he would reveal that someone later) and to write it down. After doing so, the leader said that “someone” was you. It made me cry because in that vision I had seen myself running toward the sunshine and I was so so so happy in that vision. A few months later, after much heartache and loss, I was literally running with my husband and that vision became even more special to me because it unfolded before me: as we were running the dark clouds gave way before my eyes. It’s like we were running toward the darkness but it gave way to bright sunshine as we did so.

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      3. I wrote this poem after that run with my husband:

        Thick black clouds are gath’ring
        Even so, I feel my feet
        Treading here
        Ever closer, ever brighter.

        Hand in hand I’m running
        His eyes are opening mine
        Sunshine pouring
        Light there pressing
        The darkness away.

        “Be not afraid,”
        I hear His Voice
        “I go before you
        My Ray of Light the Truth.

        “What they may say
        What you may hear
        What you may feel
        Be still and know: 
        Beloved, You are Mine.

        “Go where I send you
        Speak what I give you
        Still where I ask you
        I am Your Light
        Awakening freedom.

        “Watch the darkness fleeing
        Watch my children coming
        Knees there bowing
        My Name they’re calling.”

        Thick black clouds are gath’ring
        Even so, I feel my feet
        Treading here
        Ever closer, ever brighter.

        Hand in hand I’m running
        His eyes are opening mine
        Sunshine pouring
        Light there pressing
        Darkness full away.

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  3. What a beautiful story if Jerry coming to the Lord 🙏🏽. An encouragement to never give up. Thank you for sharing Jennifer and yay for fibre optic internet at your place now 💃🏻

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  7. Pingback: Exceedingly Worth the Long Wait — Feeding On Jesus – QuietMomentsWithGod

  8. Amen! The love of God encourages us to remain faithful and patient. My wife and I are reminded to stay committed in our prayers for a special family. Blessings to you Jennifer and your amazing family, with a praise for high-speed Internet.

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    1. Aw, thank you so very much, Rusty! Your comment really blessed me today. Gratefully received. (My replies are extra slow currently because I am on a long ministry trip until the end of the year, but I always eagerly look forward to the opportunity to get on here and talk to my WordPress friends!)

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