Waiting

Is there anything harder in life than waiting? My daughter was so excited to go to the zoo this week, she would have fast-forwarded right to Friday if she could have, constantly asking us “How many more days ‘till we get to go to the zoo?” I’ve watched one of our college students count down the days until his wedding for seemingly months now and today is their big day. We have aspiring missionaries in our church waiting for the Lord’s provision for them to get to their respective missions fields. We all have friends or loved ones battling health issues, waiting for the Lord’s healing, hoping to return to their normal, healthy lives. Waiting is difficult. It’s easy to be like little kids, constantly asking God, “Are we almost there yet?”

We live in an age of instant gratification. We want that new car or house NOW, a new job NOW, that vacation NOW. We want to do things OUR way and on OUR time schedule. But God tells us to be patient, to wait on Him. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” We learn in James 5:11 that God “blesses those who endure” and that He “is very compassionate and merciful” on them.

Waiting is a daily struggle with our sin nature. Even infants cry when they don’t get things immediately. Relationships suffer when we’re not patient with one another. Parents pray and wait for their children to walk in obedience with the Lord. Those of us who have trusted Christ as Savior wait for un-saved loved ones to do the same. We all struggle with patience and waiting in some aspect of our lives, don’t we? I love music and I have a favorite song about waiting that I’ll share with you to close. I found the video on YouTube. It’s a good one to keep on your “favorites” list and listen to whenever you are struggling with the waiting game.