Excuse Me, How Long Is The Wait?

I must confess, I am impatient.  It is one of thorns in my side.  I don’t like to wait in lines. I don’t like to wait for people to get stuff done. I’m always looking for the fastest, most efficient way to do everything.  I’m the guy that inches up every 2 seconds at a stop light until I’m just about in the middle of the intersection, anticipating the light change. I’m easily irritated, and tend to be a bit too task oriented. I’m not proud of it, and God has done a miraculous work in me on it, but I’ve still got a LONG way to go (why couldn’t I just get there now…).

As I talked about in one of my last posts, something that really sticks out to me in Lazarus’ story in John 11, is the fact that Jesus waited so long before He went to where Lazarus was. I’m sure that wait was just about unbearable for Mary, Martha, and their friends and family. However, as I said before, we know that Jesus’ waiting to respond was intentional and that He had a greater purpose than just to respond to their need.

Many places in the Bible we find the exhortation to “wait on the Lord”. Here are some things I’ve learned in having to wait on the Lord:

 

  1. It cripples our self-dependency and self-reliance. When we wait on the Lord, it is an acknowledgement of dependence on Him.  We are a generation that loves to get things done — we love to rush ahead of everyone else, and if we can do something we do it and quick.  But having to wait on the Lord, even when we are “able” to do something, reminds us that we are not on the throne.
     
  2. It helps to ensure that we are moving in God’s timing and not our own. I’m a pretty passionate guy. When I see things going on that shouldn’t be, my flesh always wants me to bust the doors down and get everything out into the light.  More often than I like, this does more damage than good.  However, when I remember that I’m not the judge, but that God is, and I wait for His instructions, it always leads to restoration and reconciliation.  When we blast forward in our own timing, we risk propelling ourselves right out of God’s will. 
     
  3. It causes us to appreciate God’s blessings even more. Several months ago, I purchased a Nikon DSLR.  I had wanted a camera like that ever since I was a little boy, but never had the opportunity.  Then, before you know it, I was married and had little Judah.  I made a resolution that I was going to wait until I had saved up enough Best Buy gift cards to get one.  It took over 2 years of not spending any of the gift cards that I received, and eventually I had enough to get one while keeping with the normal expense budget my wife and I had.

    After such a long wait, boy do I love that camera. I worked hard and waited a long time to get it. There was no guilt with spending the money because I followed the plan!  I appreciate it so much more because I didn’t just buy it on an impulse, even though I could.  When we wait on the Lord, we see the blessings and results in a much different light when they finally arrive. We are more appreciative, more grateful, and more responsible with them because we knew they cost something (whether it be money or time). They are more valuable to us.

These are a few of the things I’ve learned in waiting.  What about you?

Notes

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