Waiting isn’t always difficult, especially when it’s expected and planned for. As we know, some things just take time – getting into a crowded sports arena to see a game, going through airport security, holding for a customer service representative on the phone. I go into these situations expecting to wait, so having enough patience for them typically isn’t a challenge. However, there are instances of waiting that require a different kind of patience – a spirit of patience – that isn’t always as easy to practice, but it is an act of faith, trust, and courage.
We know that kind of waiting: The waiting we’re forced to do when we are seeking outcomes or answers that haven’t come on our timeline. The waiting we do when the thoughtful and hopeful plans we made are not taking shape. The waiting that is out of our control yet remains a constant presence in our lives. This waiting, which can be so frustrating and seem senseless to us, is also an invitation to experience a spirit of patience in hope as we seek, pray for, and await God’s will for us. We have often heard that God’s time is not our own. Our minds know that, and deep down we truly believe it, but our hearts ache at the wait and the unknown.
With a spirit of patience, we don’t just wait in stillness. Instead, we are prayerful and focused on God’s presence as we ask for His enduring strength, His revealing wisdom, and His peaceful comfort. As difficult as it can be to acknowledge, His timing, though not immediate, is perfect, so we wait courageously in faith and hope. Wait for the Lord: be strong, take heart and wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27:14) In our times of prayerfully waiting for the Lord, may we be open to His goodness working in us and bringing us to the blessing that is His will.
Journeying to Grace 