Tuesday, April 29, 2008

God's Waiting Room

How are you when it comes to waiting? I’ve always prided myself in the fact that I can remain patient through many situations. I don’t mind waiting at the Doctor’s office. Getting delayed in traffic never seems to upset me. I gladly surrender my place in line at the grocery store when I see the lady behind me has fewer items in her shopping cart. To be honest, I enjoy the extra time of solitude waiting often affords. However, how do we react when we find ourselves in “God’s Waiting Room”?

Recently I have pulled up a chair alongside several friends who are waiting to see God act on their behalf. I’m sitting with a neighbour who is waiting to see the recovery of his father. Beside him sits a lady seeking health for her husband. Across the room, a friend sits in isolation, longing to know that God sees her situation and cares. In another chair, with head hanging low, sits a young lady whose shame has surrounded her and she wants to know if God will forgive her again. A young couple hold hands, a mixture of joy and wonder on their faces as they eagerly anticipate the nine-month wait to see the fulfillment of the gift of life that God has miraculously begun. A mother cries for the return of a prodigal daughter. A dear friend counts off another month on her calendar as the adoption of her baby girl appears no closer to reality. A family fills the remaining seats looking for guidance as a husband has lost his job due to restructuring. I complete their circle as one who is empty, crying out to God for direction and clarity. Do I find the waiting here easy? No. I want God to answer now. I want the receptionist to call my name and then provide me with a prescription that comes with the assurance of complete and lasting recovery and restoration.

Suddenly my eyes shift to a chair I hadn’t noticed before. There sits a Man of Sorrows who is well acquainted with grief. His eyes are full of love. You see, there is a major contrast between God’s Waiting Room and that of our family practitioner. The Great Physician Himself sits with us in the waiting room. He is very aware of each situation. He sees each concern. He knows each anxious longing. His arms hold each weary heart and troubled thought. His tears mingle with ours. He waits with us.

Today I offer no quick recovery, but I want to lift your eyes to the One who never leaves you or forsakes you, Deut 31:6. I heard it said once that our adversities are God’s universities. We want to avoid these times in our life, yet they are often where God does some of His most life-changing work in us. Draw near to God. Trust Him. Wait on Him – not on His answers. He will tenderly hold your heart as He accomplishes all that concerns you, Psalm 138:8

“Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:31

15 comments:

Marilyn in Mississippi said...

So very well put Joy....words that I need to remember as I wait for things in life. I thought your sentence, "Wait on Him – not on His answers" was especially true! I had just heard a preacher on the radio a day or two ago saying pretty much the same thing. He said, "Most of us want the hand of God (material or physical things) and not the heart of God (spiritual)" which totally mirrors what you said.

Thanks for sharing these thoughts today!

Marilyn

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

I'm beginning to believe that this entire thing...the sum of the years that I call my "life"...is designed as an intentional wait. One long pause of trusting the journey. Never fully seeing the end, but believing that in the end...all will be seen and all will be understood.

So I am learning to wait. To be content with the reality that this journey of perfection is coming to pass...slowly at times, and then all too quick in the contrast.

In the end, the wait will be worth the return when I see my Father face to face, and I enter into my forever with perfect vision and a completed faith.

Thank you for the truth of sacred waiting. You are a good friend, and I am so glad to have you in my blogging life!

peace~elain

Tracy said...

Beautifully said. I found your blog by way of Elaine's. I'm sure it was by divine appointment, however. This is such an encouraging post and I know a number of people I plan to share it with...who are in God's Waiting Room. Thanks again! Looking forward to stopping by again soon!

Blessings,
Tracy

Paula V said...

Great post! I've typed this now the third time and my computer has errored on me. I'm running out of time now. Waiting on Him is a great advancement and thought instead of just waiting on His answers. Waiting is so hard for us and I think it's imperative that we do wait. This subject is so close to my heart and I think it's a challenge for many so I posted on my blog a few times back called "Waiting on Patience".

Paula

Catherine said...

So happy to be sharing this waiting room with you! It's not always an easy place to be but God is teaching me daily that the very best way to enjoy this wait is to constantly turn my wait over to Him. Seek Him. Ask Him for guidance and, look around the waiting room for others here with me and reach out to them. So many people in my waiting room are there without God and I honestly do not know how they do it. My responisbility is to try and show these people the True provider, healer and master. Share Him with them and help them see that while we do not have a choice about being in the waiting room, we do have a choice as to handle the wait. I want to introduce them to The Great Physician. Some may not have any other introduction to them in their lives so it's an awesome responsibility He has given those of us here in the waiting room.

Looking up to Him and reaching out to those around me. As weird as this may seem, I am thankful for this time I'm spending in the waiting room. I'm ready for Hannah to come home but until God ordains that moment I'm willing to wait. Over and over I need to remind myself that God's timing is perfect and none of this wait is a surprise to Him.

Here beside you friend. Loving you, supporting you and lifting you before the Throne of Grace. How we both long to be out of the waiting room but since we're both here I'm SO thankful that God has placed us here together!!

Love, prayers and hugs. xoxo

Amy said...

How encouraging your words are to me this morning!:)
God Bless,
Amy:)

Yolanda said...

I love how we both used, Draw near to God; in our post's yesterday!

Also, I received this, and thought it may just truly bless you. I know it did me!

Love ya,
Yolanda


Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders & says...

"Oh no....she's/he's awake!!"

pam said...

I'm so thankful that He knows all the intimate details of life. He sees all we can not know. Waiting is so hard some times, but then I stop and remind myself Who holds all the answers and I thank Him for what will come, that He will be all we need. In the midst of any circumstance it is well with my soul and I find peace in that.

Anonymous said...

Joy,
I have read this post over and over. It is speaking directly to my heart. I can't tell you how much this encouraged me when I first read it.
Through this post, through a poem that my counselor gave me, and a couple of things that others have said to me, it has become pretty clear... even through all my crying out to Him... His answer to me is "Wait." I will have to email you a copy of the poem that I got... it's amazing.
Love you,
Heather

MelissaTaylor.org said...

First of all, I think I'm a pretty patient waiter. Yes, I'd like my time to come sooner, but I can stand the wait....most of the time!

Something you said in your post, I never really thought about. It was how with the Great Physician, He waits WITH us in the waiting room. No family physician has EVER waited with me!

Even in those very very long waits of life, our Lord is right there with us. I love that.

Thanks Joy:)

Love,
Melissa

Pamela (His maidservant) said...

There is joy in waiting is you try to keep focues on the possible end result God has-however, I know some ladies in my Bible study who are painfully waiting for things such as the healing of the death of a child or the healing of a child gone away from God. This is tough waiting. I wish I could help them more in these times. Your post was a blessing!

In His Graces~Pamela

Zoe said...

Joy,
I've loved reading your post on waiting. You have a wonderful way with words.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a post.
Joyfully,
Zoe

Kelley said...

Joy,
Once again I am so glad that you are my friend! I am NOT good at waiting. I hate waiting in line, I get crazy in traffic and patience is NOT one of my virtues. So God knew how much you and your personality would bless me!

Thank you for always encouraging me, praying for me and just being you. You are such a gift and I know that when I am losing it I can count on you to point my eyes in the correct direction~up!!

Love,
Kelley

Roxie said...

I hate waiting. I'm a read the end of the book kind of woman, then go back and read the book to see how you got there. Unfortunately, God's time table and mine are generally not the same. But over my periods of waiting I have learned to ask God what am I supposed to be learning out of this and how am I supposed to use it for your glory. So see you in the waiting room. Roxie

Sheryl said...

Wow!! What a great picture.

I am one of those "waiting" and God has brought that word back to me many times in the last year. I need to "wait" upon the Lord. I am trying to rush Him along. Waiting is hard.