Waiting....
Today I was suppose to meet someone at 10:00 am in the lobby of an apartment building. 10:00 came and went and she wasn't there. I sat down on a bench outside and started to stress asking myself, "Did I misunderstand the location?"
In those minutes I had to wait (she showed up at 10:15 am as she thought we had agreed on that time), a variety of things happened.
1) I started to question myself
2) I felt anxious
3) I thought about how this could apply to waiting for God and maybe I could write a blog about it
4) I ran into someone I knew and had a friendly chat.
This brief experience today has me thinking. It has me thinking about how quickly I begin to doubt - myself and others - when I end up waiting. Am I this way with God? Sometimes. Sometimes I am okay with waiting. I know things take time. I know there are many aspects to the coming of the kingdom of God in a specific situation. But others times I am not okay. I am nervous and anxious because I don't know if I can trust God with what I am waiting for. Other times I start to doubt His Word and His promises. The tension I felt today as I waited was a good reminder: 1) to make sure I am seeking God's will in a situation and not my own and 2) to pay attention to what He says in His Word as compared to my wishful thinking.
But that is not only what my waiting got me thinking about. It also got me thinking about blogging and about how LONG it has been since I have written. Sometimes we need an awkward moment, with nothing else to do, to remind us of things that are important to us. So here I am... back after an extended summer break. Sorry it has been so long.
Finally, my waiting today gave me a pleasant surprise: a brief but enjoyable conversation with an acquaintance. It reminded me that I can't underestimate what blessings may come my way in the times when the Lord has me waiting. What blessings might come our way if we are open to the unexpected gifts of God when waiting instead of solely focusing our attention on what we are expecting.
A Scripture to ponder the next time you find yourself waiting:
James 1:17
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
In those minutes I had to wait (she showed up at 10:15 am as she thought we had agreed on that time), a variety of things happened.
1) I started to question myself
2) I felt anxious
3) I thought about how this could apply to waiting for God and maybe I could write a blog about it
4) I ran into someone I knew and had a friendly chat.
This brief experience today has me thinking. It has me thinking about how quickly I begin to doubt - myself and others - when I end up waiting. Am I this way with God? Sometimes. Sometimes I am okay with waiting. I know things take time. I know there are many aspects to the coming of the kingdom of God in a specific situation. But others times I am not okay. I am nervous and anxious because I don't know if I can trust God with what I am waiting for. Other times I start to doubt His Word and His promises. The tension I felt today as I waited was a good reminder: 1) to make sure I am seeking God's will in a situation and not my own and 2) to pay attention to what He says in His Word as compared to my wishful thinking.
But that is not only what my waiting got me thinking about. It also got me thinking about blogging and about how LONG it has been since I have written. Sometimes we need an awkward moment, with nothing else to do, to remind us of things that are important to us. So here I am... back after an extended summer break. Sorry it has been so long.
Finally, my waiting today gave me a pleasant surprise: a brief but enjoyable conversation with an acquaintance. It reminded me that I can't underestimate what blessings may come my way in the times when the Lord has me waiting. What blessings might come our way if we are open to the unexpected gifts of God when waiting instead of solely focusing our attention on what we are expecting.
A Scripture to ponder the next time you find yourself waiting:
James 1:17
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
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