The Attitudes of Waiting

How much time in a day do you spend waiting for something?

We wait in car lines to pick up our kids. We wait in line to pay for our groceries. We wait for our food to arrive at a restaurant.

On a spiritual level, I’m beginning to think we spend a lot of time waiting there as well. We wait for God to answer our prayers. We wait for unbelieving loved ones to finally embrace Christ as their Savior, and most importantly, we wait for Christ to return.

I also think this kind of “spiritual” waiting is the most difficult. If you wait in a car line, you know your kids are going to come (at least you hope so!). At the grocery store, you know you’ll eventually get your turn at the cashier. And as far as restaurants go, wait too long and the waiter (now there’s another person waiting!) risks losing a nice tip, but you will get your food. All of these kinds of waiting have tangible and guaranteed outcomes. Not necessarily positive, but the waiting does end within expected and controllable parameters.

That’s not the case in the spiritual realm. Sometimes our waiting can go on for years. Some prayers are answered quickly, others take time for God to move and speak. We wait and pray for our unbelieving spouses to come to Christ and wonder if it will ever happen. And we wait for Christ’s return, wondering if it will occur in our own lifetime, or the lifetimes of our children or grandchildren.

That’s a lot of waiting…and wondering…and hoping. We have no guaranteed outcome for this kind of waiting. We can’t control what the outcome will be. Often times, we don’t even know what to expect. Perhaps that’s what makes it so hard. We’re not in control. And if we’re not in control, that means we have to trust someone or something other than ourselves.

We have to trust God.

Trust seems to truly be the key in this waiting game. Even in the temporal realm, trust is involved. You trust the school to take care of your children and return safely them at the end of the day. You trust the systematical supply and purchase of groceries. You even trust the established purpose of a restaurant to serve you food (even if it’s bad, you’re going to get food).

So why is it so hard to trust God? He’s more trustworthy than any earthly establishment. And certainly more consistent. The Bible proves this over and over again. God is who he says he is. God will do what he says he will do. God is always in control.

We start with belief, then as we come to know God better, our trust takes seed and begins to sprout. And through his discernable repetitive and reliable movement in our lives, our trust grows even more.

Our times of waiting can either be periods of unrest, resistance, or impatience. Or they can be times to grow in our trust and belief in God. That part we do have control over. How will we wait and with what attitude? I’m going to take a leap here and make this a short series. I hope you’ll join us here at SUM next week as I explore the next step of waiting. Waiting patiently.

Praying, believing…and waiting,
Dineen

Comments

[Lynn]

Trust seems to truly be the key in this waiting game... Girl, this is spot on.

I think most of us are spiritually waiting on a multiple of things - especially our spouses salvation but there is so much more.

What I know to be true is that when God does finally move, it is so fantastic that we can ONLY give him the glory.

I have read a lot of stories to this effect this week. Our turn for waiting is now but, whoa, what a glorious culmination when the last day of our waiting comes.

Love you so much. Can't wait for you next post.

[Dee]

Unrest, resistance, impatience, Yep, yep, yep! I know exactly what you are talking about. Great topic! Looking forward to reading your next post.

[Abby]

What a perfect topic! I get so impatient - especially when it comes to praying for my fiance to turn his heart back over to GOD. I see glimpses of HIM working in his life, and it makes it so much harder to wait. Even when I'm really excited to see GOD at work! :-)

[Sheryl]

Waiting...I've done a lot of that. When I first got sick I spent my time waiting to be healed. Finally I realized how much I was wasting a "gift" I'd been given. I could spend the time wishing it was different or embrace it and grow from it. I'm far from being patient, I'd still like God to hurry up and heal me and my marriage but I've learned the gift in waiting.

As I was reading your post, however, I was struck by the fact that I haven't prayed for my husband's salvation in a LONG time. He would say he's a believer, but where's the fruit? What a novel idea, to pray for him to know Christ, hmmm.....

[Peggy@Mazes, Messes, Miracles....aMazing Grace]

Dineen...simply aMazing and so well written!
The Truth of waiting in our daily lives vs. the Truth of WAITING on the Lord is indeed a TRUST issue and BELIEF in exactly what you said..."God is who He says He is. God will do what He says He will do. God is always in control.." To me, I do believe this with all my heart...but I wonder is it just Words or if and as I am shaken in life's daily situation, which I still stand?
How does my life's circumstances alter what I say I believe and do I show, as I wait,
that I trust God to do ALL that He says?
I would like to say "YES" unequivocably without a doubt...yet as I see days turn into months into years and years of waiting
it does surface with some doubts...though I know God's Word is Truth and His timing is perfect, and His time is not as our time. I wonder, especially as regards the unsaved...
did I fail at portraying how great God is and how much He is needed for their life here and eternally. And then I realize it's "not by might, not by power but by His Spirit" and has nothing to do with me. But then this makes me wait and pray freely with new hope in Christ Jesus! WAITING!
It still poises the need for a lot of the Fruit of the spirit while we do so and may His spirit grow in us as we wait. Seeds are important. As you have strived and dealt with many issues lately, I must say I admire your attitude, your sweet spirit, enduring faith and ability to write this with such conviction!!! This truly shows how one can thrive and conquer in Christ!
God continue to bless & inspire you!