Clay in the Hands

Waiting.  No one really enjoys waiting.  The very thought of it makes my “get it done” tendencies crawl.  But unfortunately, waiting is a part of life.

When we think of waiting on God, the concept takes on a different nuance.  We began this discussion yesterday.  How do we approach waiting on God to come?  This season of Advent is about waiting in anticipation for the coming of the messiah.  The reality is that we often find ourselves waiting on God.

Here are a couple of things to keep in mind as we wait.

1.  More times than not, God is at work right in front of us but we just aren’t paying attention.  So in our minds and hearts we are becoming impatient with God when all the while God is actively at work in the situation.  We need to learn the basic truth about waiting and that is that it is a constant reminder we are completely dependent upon God.  When we remember this fact, we take our eyes off our situation long enough to see God at work.

2.  God does not operate on our time frame to teach us something.  It could be something about ourselves or something about God and how God works in our lives.  Again, waiting reminds us of our dependence.

3.  Other times, our focus may be so skewed that we are waiting on something that will never happen.  Several years ago, I had a doctor’s appointment.  As is my normal approach to any given day, I crammed as many things into my schedule as possible so that I walked into the doctor’s office just in the nick of time.  I had my To Do list with me and a book to read just so that I would not have any down time while I waited.  I rushed in, put my name on the sign-in sheet and then found a seat in the waiting area (we should take note – they actually call it a “waiting” area).  20 minutes passed and no call.  30 minutes of waiting and I began to see people who came in after me being called back into an exam room.  My frustration with the wait was mounting.  Finally after 40 minutes or so, I approached the counter, and luckily before I grilled the receptionist, I made a very revealing discovery.  I was in the wrong doctor’s office.

In my haste and hustle, I had gone to the wrong building and signed in to see the wrong doctor.  I could have waited there all day but would not have seen the doctor.

Sometimes, we are waiting on something that just isn’t going to happen.  Our focus can become so self-centered that we fail to see God moving in other ways.

So what can you take away from my ramblings?

1) Seek God above all else.  

2) Wait patiently with expectant anticipation.

3) Look for meaning in the wait.

4) Remember God is in control.

5) Trust.

God is active in the day to day.  God is at work in your life – all around you.  God loves you more than words can express and human cognition can understand.

So wait with assurance.

Be blessed today!