On Sunday, I preached a sermon titled Waiting with Anticipation, and it was a cathartic experience. I describe this experience as such because waiting has been a constant theme in my life. I’ve waited for independence, graduation, success, to achieve my goals, for God to send my wife (thank God for Lauren), for life’s evolution, for seasons changing, and for answered prayers. Waiting has frustrated me and, in many ways, saved me from unnecessary hurt and pain. Waiting is where one consciously decides to trust in God’s goodness and timing.
Truthfully, I don’t have an issue trusting in God’s goodness, but God’s timing is where there is often a tension point in my relationship with God. In the waiting room of my life, I’ve found myself wondering why God seemed to be moving so slowly. While waiting, I’ve been guilty of increasing my frustration and pushing my faith to the side like peacoats in the summertime. Why won’t God respond quickly? Why is it taking so long? Weathering many waiting room experiences has taught me a few lessons that I would like to share to encourage you.
1. The waiting room is not a jail cell.
The waiting room is a temporary season. A jail cell is a holding place for one serving time and being punished. The waiting seasons of our lives are not meant to restrict us. There is still life to live, tasks to accomplish, and relationships to build. You are not confined to four walls or a small space, so while waiting, change your perspective. Ask yourself, what in me is being developed? What might God be transforming in me or around me?
2. The waiting room can be a place of self-discovery.
We often don’t slow down enough to notice the ways we might be evolving. Our lives are usually packed with more outings, more work, more procrastination, more, more, more. I believe that God allows waiting periods that vary in length to slow us down enough to notice and wrestle with who God has made us to be. In the waiting room of our lives, we closely examine how we are wired, recognize our purpose, and wrestle with our uniqueness, wondering if this is a good thing or not. We discover new areas of ourselves when we push past the frustration of waiting. Self-discovery teaches us that God is with us now and has been with us the entire time.
3. Inside the waiting room, we can be transformed.
Our transformation usually doesn’t happen in public. Our body repairs itself as we sleep, and we usually study for necessary tests and presentations with only a small group, not a large audience. This is because some actions don’t need a crowd to be effective. As you wait, it is essential not to allow the perspectives of many to flood your mind. Positive perspectives are welcome, but those that lead to comparisons and other harmful thinking help create a roadblock before your transformation. The waiting room offers God space, time, and opportunity to transform you.
So, if your waiting period is extended, don’t throw in the towel, and don’t wallow in frustration. Instead, voice your frustration to God while exhibiting faith in God. Realize that although you may feel like you are running in place, movement is happening. Finally, don’t quit before you reach your goals because you could be closer to achieving your goals and your waiting season ending than you think.
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