There are seasons that feel productive. Clear. Forward-moving.
And then there are seasons like this one. The kind where everything slows down—whether you wanted it to or not. The kind where you’re asking God, “What are You doing?” and not always getting an immediate answer.
This week on the podcast, I sat down with Kathy Branning , and honestly, it felt less like an interview and more like a mirror. Because she’s in one of those seasons. Recovering from surgery. Launching something new. Letting go of expectations. Watching life shift in ways she didn’t plan for.
And somewhere in the middle of all of it, she said something that stayed with me: God isn’t delaying. He’s preparing.
I think a lot of us need that reminder. Because from our perspective, it feels like delay. It feels like missed timing. It feels like being stuck.
But what if it’s actually formation?
What if the thing we’re frustrated by is the very thing God is using to build the capacity we’ll need later?
We talked a lot about pruning and pressing. Not in a poetic, pretty way—but in the real, uncomfortable, “this is actually painful” kind of way.
Because becoming isn’t always visible. And it’s almost never celebrated while it’s happening. It’s quiet. It’s hidden. It’s internal. And sometimes, it looks like being stuck on a couch, watching your life not go according to plan.
But even there—especially there—God is still at work.
One of my favorite parts of our conversation was when we talked about waiting. Not just waiting, but waiting well. There’s a kind of waiting that numbs out, avoids, & distracts. And then there’s a kind of waiting that leans in. That asks, “What’s in my hands right now?” Even if what’s in your hands feels small.
For Kathy, it looked like writing from a recliner. Encouraging people online.
Sending handwritten notes. Simple things. But intentional things.
And that’s what struck me— waiting well isn’t about doing everything. It’s about being faithful with something. Because you are not without purpose just because you feel limited.
Let me say that again, because I think we forget it easily: You are not without purpose just because you feel limited.
Limitations don’t disqualify you. They refine you. They reveal what’s been holding you up— and what needs to be surrendered.
We also talked about releasing expectations, timelines, plans and even identities. Especially the identity of being “the one who makes things happen.” And if you’re anything like me, that one hits a little too close to home.
Because it’s easy to build your worth around what you can do. How much you can carry. How dependable you are. Until God gently (or not so gently) says, “Lay that down.”
And suddenly you’re left asking, “Who am I if I’m not doing all the things?”
That’s the kind of question that doesn’t have a quick answer. But it does lead to something deeper. Something more rooted. Something that isn’t dependent on your productivity, your plans, or your ability to hold everything together.
And maybe that’s the point. Maybe this season you’re in—the one that feels slower than you expected, harder than you wanted, and different than you planned—isn’t wasted. Maybe it’s sacred. Maybe it’s where God is doing the kind of work that will hold you steady in the next season. The kind of work that no one else sees, but you’ll carry with you forever.
So if you’ve been feeling behind, if you’ve been questioning the timing, or if you’ve been wondering why things aren’t moving—You’re not alone. And you’re not stuck. You’re becoming. Right here. In the middle of it. And God is not absent in this season. He’s forming something deeper than outcomes.
- Reanna
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