I Love Waiting
and other lies you tell yourself while stuck in the middle of things you can't stand
Waiting is seldom pleasant or fun. But, waiting is a fact of life. We all endure it. Most waiting has an end and it’s predictable. But, not when you’re waiting on relationships. Those seasons of life are the worst. Waiting seasons are hard, messy, painful, and basically, IMO they suck. Often waiting isn’t what I’d choose. I want to get on with it, whatever it is. I consider myself a patient person. I enjoy downtime. I can multitask. I don’t love change but I have needed to embrace it as a fresh start which we all need sometimes. I’m not afraid to confront, make choices, or change direction. I can pivot with the best of them.
We spend our lives waiting for all sorts of things. We wait for the DMV attendant to call us when it’s our turn. We wait for dinner to be ready to eat. We wait for the doctor to see us when it’s finally our turn. We wait for a reunion of lost love. We wait for the family to correct their mistakes. We wait for things to be made right. So. Much. Waiting.
The reality is that sometimes in this broken world, the waiting never ends.
God’s timetable is vastly different from ours. What seems to take an eternity to us is mere seconds to Him. In His economy, our entire lifetime is like the blink of an eye! He knows the result He wants so we can become frustrated and worsen the waiting time, or we can trust that Jesus knows best and seek His will above ours. But, oh boy how hard is that to do! I often ask Jesus what the point is of my waiting but rarely do I get an answer that satisfies. It’s obvious to me that my patience muscle needs more sanctification.
When I’m in waiting situations that are less emotionally charged, such as the DMV, I have a choice. Maybe the DMV is a poor example, but I digress. I can exercise patience and look for an opportunity to be kind, helpful, and encouraging. There is wisdom in keeping those three top of mind every day. It is also the correct attitude to have to help the waiting time pass more quickly. Of course, the clock doesn’t change when you change your mindset, but it feels that way. Why? Because I’m not focused on the wrong thing. Placing my focus on myself and my irritation doesn’t lead anywhere good. But, if I can focus on what Jesus is offering me, I follow His lead and the result is better for everyone. Of course, I don’t get this right much of the time. I often remind Jesus I am not an “A” student! But waiting serves up a prime opportunity to set the tone, change attitudes, and maybe hearts, when I stop focusing on my frustration and instead pay attention to the gift of now.
How can I best take advantage of the waiting?
What does Jesus have for me in this?
What am I possibly missing by feeling so annoyed at my wait?
There is always something for us in each life situation and it is wise to seek that out. I’m not saying we are to be corrected all the time but Jesus will bless others through us. We will ourselves be blessed. But, again waiting isn’t easy, and is nearly almost every time a challenge. I’ve become a long-suffering person not because I wanted it. Waiting is challenging, but waiting seasons when relationships are involved are nearly unbearable. I’ve suffered much loss in my life and have spent more time than I’d like healing the resulting pain. I’m still working on it.
