Monday, November 3, 2008

Waiting

One thing that easily irritates me is when someone makes me wait. I do not have a lot of grace in waiting. And yes, I need it! I usually gets frustrated that I start complaining. Once I begin expressing my complains, the still small voice starts airing out it's message... "Everything is beautiful in its time. It's not about people failing you, it's about God using the circumstances to build your character." Oh, how easy it is to forget this profound truth and blame people for our disappointments.

Like now, it's been a few months since I started waiting for a go signal to become a part of one group that I've been wanting to join. When I first talk to the leader of this group, she showed so much excitement to have me in the team. But for a month, she didn't even bother to call me to discuss my intentions and when I can start. So I initiated a meeting with her so that we could talk about it. She still showed excitement to having me in the group. I made it sure she knows that I would wait for her call. It's been two months since our last talk. I heard nothing from her. We see each other once a week but she never brought it up. I didn't want to initiate a talk about it again because I was being clear to her on our last talk that I would wait for her go signal. I admit that I really think she is being very rude! And I admit that I started taking it against her. But God, in His grace, has taught me to be patient. To be still and know that He is God. To resist every temptation to become bitter against this person. It may be politically correct to hold it against her, but I chose to renew my mind. Instead of thinking that she is bad, bad, bad, I need to fill my mind with thoughts that the Lord is using this situation to build my character.

I love the fact that God is seldom in a hurry but He's never late! 1 Samuel 13:6-14 records the account of King Saul who lost his kingdom when he stopped waiting on God's time just five minutes before the deliverance. What a fool! I do not want to live like King Saul.

Dear God, help me to wait upon you and to not grow weary while waiting.

1 comment:

Victoria said...

Patience has never been my strongsuit. The idea of just hanging in the wind, waiting for things to happen isn't appealing in the least. Then God revealed to me that the word used in the Bible is often more akin to endurance than to patience. Enduring the trials of not having that instant gratification we always crave is something I can shoot for...powerlessly waiting is not. You know? It really is all about perspective. Vertical perspective!

I would look for other lessons beyond that of patience here, too...have some time with God and really pray about this group. Be sure He's asking you to join...maybe there is more than one reason this hasn't happened yet.