The Thrill of Waiting

(Mitch & Becky - this one's for you)

In our Names of God class last night we had yet another conversation on waiting. This is a weekly topic for us when we take prayer requests and it's known in our group that you're either waiting, you just came though a period of waiting, or you know you'll wait again in the future for something.

This outlook is pretty bleak. No one likes to wait. I certainly don't. I prefer to eat at home rather than wait for a table in a restaurant. Waiting is just not fun.

Or is it?

This morning I'm thinking sometimes that waiting might not be as bad as we make it out to be. While waiting is passive, the life that we live while we wait is still active. For example, the bride waits anxiously for her wedding day but she is planning while she waits. She picks a dress, her bridesmaids, there are showers to attend, presents to open, dreams to dream - all of this occurs while she waits.

My children anxiously wait for school to end each spring. While they wait, though, there are many year end activities that fill their time - field days, dances, award ceremonies, movie days in class, and so on.

And while I wait for God, I can spend time with Him. When I spend time with Him, He continues to show Himself to me and to grow me. It is in the time of waiting for Him that He reveals Himself to me and prepares me for whatever it is that I'm waiting for. I may not understand why El Olam (Everlasting God, which is the secret Name of God) has His own purposes and His own timing for me, but He does and I can trust Him to reveal them when He is ready.

See if you can find joy in your waiting today. I'm waiting to hear what you find.