Let’s face it, we all hate waiting. Whether we are in line at the store, on hold on a call, or waiting on something big to change in our lives (salvation of a loved one, the perfect mate, healing from illness, financial rescue, etc.), waiting is one of our least favorite things. Waiting requires patience and given most of us are living in a world where we can’t even wait five minutes for a microwaved meal or 30 seconds for a video to load on our iPhone; I think we may have a problem.
If you are anything like me, patience doesn’t come naturally. The joke was that if I asked anyone to do something it was implied that they should drop everything that they were doing and immediately do what I asked! (Don’t believe me… ask my family or the people who worked for me.) It’s true. I have received a lot of feedback on this over the years and I have been working on being more patient, but struggle everyday with a level of impatience. I suppose if I am honest, I would link my impatience to a need to be in control, even though for years I have tried to disguise it under efficiency or an extreme sense of urgency both of which sound relatively positive I guess. But when control is the problem, it’s spiritual dissonance with my faith. (Read: Control is an Illusion).
It is important to remember that God is working while we are waiting and we are supposed to wait expectantly. This means that we should wait with trust in Him, with hope and confidence, believing that He is in full control. Remembering that while we patiently waiting on God, He is renewing us; literally rebuilding our strength and faith. So whether we are waiting on the big things in life or the little things (like the checkout line while Christmas shopping), every waiting situation is an opportunity for development and if we focus on that instead of length of time we have been waiting , we will become more patient. Sometimes I ask myself, what is God trying to teach me here to help me remember that I should wait on the Lord.
Right now, I am waiting on God to save one of my loved ones, I am waiting on Him to change the direction of someone’s life, and I am waiting on Him to heal a family member. I know that God is working on me while I wait; and in due time, He will answer my prayers to all of these requests.
What are you waiting on? Is there a prayer that you need answered? Let me know, we can pray for each other.
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
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