I used to play this song over and over again as a young teen, longing for the lyrics to be true–to have the crush I had turn his head, notice me, swoop me up, then belt this song my way. Yep, I lived in a fairy land.

And yet, God did wait for me. All that longing had a fulfillment someday. He had been waiting for me to see, to understand, to grasp, to need. I had a hole in my heart, longing for some man (father, boyfriend, friend) to fill it. After my dad died when I was ten, and two stepdads moved on, I found myself in this constant state of longing.

Sometimes I wonder what would’ve become of me had Jesus not swooped in when I was fifteen. How would I have filled the gaping hole inside? What sin would I have entangled myself in?

I’m grateful typing this. So grateful. For the sheer act of salvation. For a God who chases us, even when we’re unlovely. For a relentless pursuer, a God who searches for the one lost sheep.

Isaiah 30:18 adds nuance to the waiting, both in how God waits for us and how we must wait for Him: “So the LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.”

He’s been waiting for a girl (boy) like you. Not in a needy way, but with a desire to fill you all the way up. And often, we can’t be filled unless we know our utter emptiness. And when we’re desolate and achy and small, He stoops to find us, and He loves the socks off us.

I’m blessed to know Jesus. So so so blessed.

My life is full. My heart is full. My void is filled. All because the God of the universe waited for me to need Him.