Confession time: I am not a fan of waiting. I don’t like to use the word “hate” but I do hate waiting. Waiting in line at a grocery store is tiring. Waiting in line at a store that does not have enough registers open is frustrating. Waiting in line at a stop light, especially when a person won’t move up, is maddening. Waiting to be waited on and served is annoying.
Worse still is waiting on God. I know what the Scripture says; I’ve quoted them enough. “Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.” There are tons more. But sometimes waiting on God is just plain…frustrating. Maddening. Annoying. Tiring. Waiting for an answer. Waiting for God to move. Waiting to die. Waiting for change. Waiting for God to “show” Himself.
I know why I hate to wait. God is not meeting my time line. Like all the other examples of waiting, I can’t make the line move any faster. I can’t push people aside and say, “Come on people! Move faster. If you don’t I’m moving ahead of you.” Nope. Won’t work. Won’t work with God either. How in the world can I push God aside and say, “Come on God. Move faster. If you don’t I’m jumping line!” Aaaah yeah. I can’t leap frog God’s plan. God has my steps numbered (Ps.37:23). He will take His time with me. He will work as He sees fit…in His own time. Just like my spiritual growth is a process, so is following His plan.
So…my response? I still don’t have to like waiting. It is still annoying, frustrating, tiring and maddening, but wait I shall. Wait I must. My life will be different if I do. My life will be more complete. Those statements are true. I still don’t have to like waiting though.
“Father, teach me to wait. That’s a scary prayer, I know. but my life is in your hands. I ask that you give me the grace I need to wait for you to move. Help me not to get frustrated, annoyed, tired, or maddened when I have to wait. You are sovereign, and good, and loving, and gracious. And I am Yours.”
Impatience with waiting is the universal human condition. You have a great deal of company here, Bill. Including me. Part of the cause is that we want to get on with what we’re doing, which means we aren’t truly interested in listening to what God might have in mind. Learning to wait is the most difficult lesson.
You are s-o-o-o-o right Glynn. Learning to wait is the most difficult lesson. “Glad to hear” you are part of my tribe. 🙂
I’m a bit impatient as well…I definitely don’t enjoy the waiting, especially when I am already running behind. I try not to get too frustrated most of the time, but it does happen. The other side of this is causing others to wait on me… I dislike that even more. Sometimes it is unavoidable, but I really don’t want others to have to wait on me.
Sounds like you and I are on the same wave length this week, Bill, as my last post dealt with this whole “mess” of having to wait. Yes, it’s frustrating, but it makes no sense to “cut in line” when we are waiting on God to move. It’s all in His time – always! Let’s just pray for the patience we need while we wait.
Blessings!
We must be Martha. I did link to your post on my other blog.
Thank you so much for your honesty about waiting. And all the good things you reminded us about, that come through waiting. :). I needed to hear those again today! Blessings!
You’re welcome Deb. Waiting never comes easily. As Ryan put it: it is a battle.
For sure we do not have to like waiting but we still have to do it. As I told Martha, it has gotten easier for me to wait, I even enjoy it sometimes. Time moves too fast anymore, I am sliding down a hill toward, well, 75 then I hear it will go even faster from 75 to 80 and I cannot for the life of me see me being 90. When I get in a rush I miss so much, I burn food, stumble over my own feet, not enjoy my Grandchildren and I could go on but you get the point. Some where along the way since 70 to 72 it just got easier to wait, a benefit of aging I guess. Good post brother.
I’m with you, Bill. My impatience boils over in me especially in traffic. You know it’s bad when you stand in front of the microwave mumbling “C’mon, c’mon!”
Time to re-read some of those soul soothing verses again.