I have been in a season of waiting in several different aspects of my life for years now. Initially, waiting can be peaceful-filled with rest and rejuvenation. It can give a person a moment to take time to breathe or time to reflect and get perspective, yet if waiting goes on . . . and on . . . and on . . . into years of wrestling with frustration and desperate grasps of trying to hold on to purposefulness. Waiting can get to a person. At times while waiting, one can feel as though they have completely lost their way. Discouragement, despair, hopelessness are all friends who call regularly. Loneliness takes deep root. Looking for the light is difficult. It requires energy to look. But if one can search for the light it might be found in surprising places: answering what are you able to do because you are waiting, looking at people who we’ve been given more time with because of the waiting. Waiting is waiting. It doesn’t feel good, but it might end up being good. During the waiting, a person may actually get to see glimpses of that good; usually, however, one just has to wait.
God encourages us to wait on him: Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the Lord’s help. Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord’s help.” Something is required in the waiting: strength, courage, bravery, energy. Finding God in the waiting or while waiting can be very powerful. In fact, God speaks through the prophet Isaiah, saying, “but they that 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 grow faint.” It’s a beautiful image; isn’t it? Eagles rising towards the sun, walking and running without growing tired-all are very active images, yet God may have meant this in a more figurative sense which, again, makes it difficult to hold on to in the long time of the waiting which is primarily inactive. Waiting is waiting, but it is important to just wait. But waiting with God can pay off in ways we can’t imagine.
So I continue on in the waiting.
Comments are closed