Who likes to Wait?

A friend of mine sent me an email about a sermon they had heard at church. Well, it applied to me because I am going through a season in my life that is requiring me to wait. Is it fun? No...Will it better in the end, Yes. So, here's the email. Feel free to comment, email, or whatever.

"God orchestrates seasons of waiting in your life - they are purposeful and intentional in the lives of Christ followers. Waiting is one of God's most favorite ways of bringing about blessing in our lives."

These were the first words out of the pastors mouth that I sat under this morning. Wow! God is so good to give us the words and the wisdom that we need EXACTLY when we need it, isn't He?? This just happens to be a season of waiting in my life right now so I tried to listen with great intent this morning as the pastor spoke from God's Word regarding waiting. The truth is, we have all either waited, are currently waiting, or will be waiting on something in this life. Whether it be finances, relationships, health issues, marriage, children, the list goes on. The majority of scripture the pastor used this morning was found in Acts 9 where we find Saul in the middle of a heart change. A man who pursected the Lord and other believers, now changed and ready to be God's chosen instrument to carry the name of the Lord throughout Israel. What I didn't really know until today, was that Saul had to do a LOT of waiting before he was fully released to start teaching and preaching the name of Christ. He waited for over 5 years until one day Barnabas came and found him in Tarsus and took him to Antioch so that Saul could begin ministering. (Acts 11:25) As a result of Saul's obedience in waiting on the Lord's timing, a great revival began in Antioch where many people came to know the Lord.

Waiting is something that most of us hate. We want what we want, when we want it and as a result, we find that if we had of just waited a little longer, we could have gotten something better. I've found that one of the most frustrating yet most comforting things about the Lord is that the word "hurry" is not in His vocabulary. He won't get in a hurry in my life. It's frustrating to my flesh, but so comforting to know that He loves me so much that He truly does want me to have the best. And we've learned that the best often requires a wait. I can either wait ugly, or I can wait well. Waiting ugly is something I've done many times. I get anxious over the situation, I get mad, jealous, scared, I become sorry for myself thinking that something is wrong with me. UGLY!!

So, how do I wait well? The first thing I learned this morning is that I have to wait and pray, pray and wait. Turning my wait over to Him shows Him that I believe and trust Him with the situation and it helps me avoid the temptation of getting ahead of Him and making the wrong decisions. I need to study His Word over the thing I'm waiting for. And lastly, I need to work while I wait. I can't just sit on my hands and have a pity party. There's work to be done! So, the question isn't really "will I have to wait?". Yes, at some point, we all have to wait. Instead the question is, "can I handle the waiting?". God will reveal His ways to us. It may take days, weeks, months, a year, or FIVE years, but He's totally in the waiting. It's His favorite way of blessing us! That makes me feel good. :)


Good point!