Have you ever had to wait for something? Something you really needed, or wanted? Doesn’t matter what it is anyway, as I’d like to focus on the ‘wait’.
Just like you, I’ve had to wait.
My most recent episode being as early as a few days ago. Well, I needed some important documentation necessary in my line of work. And it had to go through certain stages before being approved. I required signatures from senior staff of two organisations. I had all the paperwork required; another process in itself and all I needed were signatures for my request to be approved. Failure to which, I’d be unable to access my duty station.
So anyway, I waited for the first signatory for about two hours. I got desperate indifferent and left; obviously postponing the problem till the next working day which was a Monday. Come Monday, I went to look for him, only to find an empty seat staring back at me. I could not postpone waiting for him so I stayed put. Thankfully, he finally showed up and boy wasn’t I elated; only to learn that the letters needed further validation from a senior manager. My heart sunk .
And that was the beginning of a day that was filled with moments of waiting. Everywhere I went, I was subjected to an unnecessary wait. Even at the bus stop; for some strange reason, the ever-reliable bus was out of service. After finally getting transportation, I arrived at the office and guess what? Their systems were down and the person concerned was out of the office.
What??! I was bamboozled. I walked out of the office deflated. All this was beyond me. ‘What exactly is going on here?’ I questioned.
As is the case with God sometimes, straight answers are a far cry from what we actually receive.
There and then, my mind quickly shifted to people who’ve had to wait in life.
How does it feel to yearn for a life partner in the midst of long years of just not finding the right one? You are attractive, smart, well socialised and you fear God. Why is that Mr/Mrs. Right proving elusive?
How does it feel to graduate with the highest accolades, have a proven academic record and still remain jobless? You topped your class thanks to your hard work and dedication only for your party-going classmates to secure jobs before you?
What about the couple that had to wait for fifteen years to bear a child? The initial joys of starting a family soon turn into an unexpected reality of negative results and eventual expensive fertility treatments with no guaranteed results.
What about the child in an orphanage who’s never had a family; ever yearning for the day they’ll get a mommy and daddy to call their own?
What about the inmate waiting for his jail term to end?
Waiting is painful and frustrating. It’s a vast space that filled with varied moments where you tell yourself that the situation is beyond you; that you’ll be patient; that life could be worse. Then there are moments where you sink into depressive states; moments where people make unkind remarks about your situation or even well meaning friends who just said the wrong thing at the wrong time.
The thing about waiting is that it makes one question themselves, life and God. We direct our anger at the people around us and God. No one seems to understand us.
Waiting also brings about feelings of worthlessness and despair.
WHAT DOES THE WORD SAY?
There are numerous examples of people who had to wait. Abraham, for a son; Jacob for Rachael; Joseph for his release out of prison and Job, the father of patience and numerous other examples.
Thing is, as Christians we have to challenge ourselves to search the word in our circumstances. We need to silence the noise of the world, general opinions and our inner voice and earnestly look into scripture.
This is what I found:
This too shall pass:
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall never pass away. (Matt 24:35). All these things will come to pass, including the stuff we have to wait for that are causing us so much frustration.
Reality check:
…….in theworld, ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33). We don’t expect a honkey dory existence here in this fallen world. Even Jesus, the son of God, went through tribulation. It’s just a reality of life. A reality we must accept. Ask God to give you grace to accept this fact of life. Having that awareness right from the time you wake up; shifts your focus from your feelings of disappointment to what God has to say about the situation.
You never walk alone:
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Cor 10:13)Waiting brings about feelings of loneliness. That inner voice, again. The one you’re left with when everyone’s gone, the voice over that plays when you look at yourself in the mirror. The voice you’re left with after browsing social media that tells you that everyone’s life is fabulous and that you are the most miserable being that walked the planet. That is far from the truth.
All for a greater glory:
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. (2 Cor 4:17). This post was borne out of my own period of waiting. Had I not waited; I would not have written this. Something good came out of it. And I assure you something good will come out of your wait in this lifetime. Open your eyes and see God’s goodness despite your wait. Even better is the fact that our trials are for a far greater glory.
Eyes fixed on Jesus:
Looking to Jesus the founder and perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:2). Can we fix our eyes on Jesus when life gets awry? How many of us really keep our eyes fixed on Christ, the author and finisher of our faith as we wait? Do we forget what it means to be in the faith race? He is perfecting our faith each step of the way.
The ultimate wait:
And this is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life. (1 John 2:25). Are we not all waiting to enjoy eternal life? To meet God? To experience the infinite joys of heaven? Is that not what we wait for ultimately? Over and above employment, a life mate, a child, and whatever else our hearts ache for? Friend, I pray that your heart may be encouraged as you wait. And that God will give you the grace to stand as you wait for eternal life.
