The Pursuit of Waiting
 |
| (Photo Credits Belong to Photographer: Amber Nicole Ginter) |
Recently, I just completed a
three-day Bible Study on the concept of waiting, and to be honest with you, it
most certainly wasn’t what I wanted to hear.
The Author spoke about how many characters in the Bible had to endure
waiting, because it was during those times that God allowed them to grow in
their faith the most.
From Mary and Joseph, to
Abraham and Sarah, and Hannah and Elkanah, each had to endure tremendous times
of waiting, often not understanding their wait at the time, but being brought
to completion through Christ after their long awaiting was ceased. Hannah, for instance, was a woman who waited
well in her calling. Having no children,
but desperately wanting to be blessed with some, Hannah cried out to the Lord
and began her long, but endured journey of hope amidst the waiting. And through her brokenness, confusion, doubt,
and failed circumstances, Hannah chose to rejoice in the place she was, just
knowing that in her prayers to God, He would rescue her. Clinging to the only thing she could fully
trust with all her might (God), Hannah was eventually blessed with a baby boy,
and only able to experience the fullness of that joy, because of what she
learned throughout her period of drought.
But waiting, as it is for
most of us, is not seen as such a pleasurable experience. It is not something that we look forward to,
and shout “YAS” with all our might because we can’t contain the
excitement. In fact, most of us, in
complete candor with one another, would rather choose to click the “skip waiting,
and get to the answer” button if offered, then we would be to simply wait,
wait, wait, and wait some more. Like
waiting in line at a gas station only to get word that they are out of gas
(causing you to have to drive to the next one), most of us if the given the option
would opt out of that news.
Yet you see, it oftentimes
the famines and low periods in life that teach us the most about not only who
we are in Christ, but how dependent we are on Him for everything. It is in these moments of anger, testing
patience, and even waiting, that
reveal to us how little we really know about the plans for our own lives,
because the Creator who formed our hearts and inner beings knows us better than
we could ever possibly know ourselves. Because
what if the next gas station you had to drive to had cheaper gas? Wouldn’t that make the waiting worth it? Like
Hannah, it is not until we have reached the end of ourselves that we begin to
experience the blessings God has in store for us.
With that being said,
waiting, as a concept is not easy. Let
me state that again, waiting, is not easy.
In fact, waiting more times than not, will not feel good. It does not make sense, it can hurt a lot,
and take a lot of confidence to get through.
Speaking from experience, for instance, I am not one to applaud
waiting. Indeed, I used to think that if
I could just skip all the waiting in my life, I would be so much happier, but
then God began to reveal to me how much more I could gain and achieve in this
life if I waited on Him, and simply let Him take reign and direction in my
life.
Because trust me, I get it,
and I know. I know what it is like to
keep waiting for the right guy to walk into my life, and sweep me off my
feet. To keep waiting year after year
for God to send me the future husband that I am so anxiously praying for, as I
blow another ring of smoke off the birthday candles on my cake. To cry out to him when making friends is
harder than it should be, or shout angrily when I get more stressed about
college or work because life at times is just too overwhelming. To ask Him thousands and thousands of times
why I must keep on waiting for these things, while everyone else seems to be
living happily and carefree.
And then, in that moment of
waiting, with the solitude, confusion and all, God gave me an answer:
“As
I continue to wait on God’s blessing,
I
know that I must be in good company,
to keep waiting so long.”
For as the Creator of you
and your heart, God knows what is best for you.
Rather that be relationships, friendships, colleges, schools, work, test
results, or anything else you are eagerly waiting for, understand that if God
has you waiting for any amount of time, it is for your best interest that He
make you wait. For our loving, wonderful,
merciful, and caring God would not make you wait just for the sake of it. As Psalms 27:13-14 states, “But I really
believe that I will see the Lord’s goodness before I die. Wait for the Lord’s help. Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord’s
help” (Psalms 27:13-14, ERV).
Joseph waited 15 years,
Abraham waited 25, Moses waited 40, and Jesus waited 30. So, if God is having you wait, know this: the
pursuit of waiting is not an easy task.
It is not for the faint of heart, those with little faith, and those who
doubt His promises. But, it is for those
who earnestly seek Him with all their heart, and want nothing more than to
reveal the glorious plans He has set for them.
If you are waiting, know that you must be in good company to keep
waiting so long. For the pursuit of
waiting may not be waiting at all, but simply allowing God to orchestrate the
events in your life, rather than trying to plan and control them all.
Endure the pursuit of waiting. After all, I’ll
be right their beside you every step of the way.
