Patience is not my strong suit. I, like most of us, don’t like to wait. And yet waiting is a big part of life, both in the daily grind and in the long stretch. We wait on lines, wait on hold, wait in traffic, wait for promotions, wait for babies to be born, wait for the weekend, for retirement, for our ships to come in...wait wait wait. You’d think we’d get used to it. Lol.
Lately, I’ve had to learn a little more about this waiting game life plays. I had knee surgery about two months ago. In my pre-surgery doctor visits my surgeon gave me a 6-9 week timeline for healing. Okay, that’s great I thought to myself. Not a long recovery. But no, that’s not what he meant. Healing was the 6-9 week, recovery takes a bit longer, like a couple of months longer. Ugh.
Here I was all ready to be back to full capacity at about eight weeks. I felt my healing was going well, I was up and about, doing stairs (in a modified fashion), riding my bike, back to work. But my leg was having none of that full throttle stuff. It felt and feels weak, going down stairs is still difficult, no running for two more months, I can fall easier due to instability of some of my muscles. What!!! I thought this was 6-9 weeks, boom then done!!!
Nope Wait. God says wait. We’ve been studying Genesis and have just gone through chapters 16-17 This is where Abram and Sarai decide to rush God’s plan for having a child. In their impatience, it seemed like a good idea, and as was the custom of the day, for Abram to have a child with Sarai’s maid since Sarai herself was not getting pregnant. Now this led to all sorts of resentments and problems and we see the effects even today in the Middle East with all the fighting and animosity between Israel and the Arab nations Impatience has brought in a lot of heartache
Are you waiting for something? Are you tempted to provide the solution for yourself? Like Abram and Sarai we can even convince ourselves our solution is the one God wants for us. But nothing could be further from the truth. This weeks verse in my weekly prayer journal was Isaiah 40:31 But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Some versions say “those who wait on the Lord.” If we want to run and soar with Jesus we have to wait on His timing And do so with patience, practicing faith, living in thanksgiving, and filled with praise for His perfect plan. Easier said than done for sure, but so worth the wait.
Much like my knee now needs exercise and strengthening to get back where it’s supposed to be, we need to exercise our faith and trust while waiting on the Lord.
Lord, we don’t like waiting. Many of us are the microwave generation. Instant everything. But You see from eternity to eternity. Give us the grace to wait on You. Give us joy and peace in the silence, in the seeming inactivity, it the dire, and in the dark. You have the perfect plan at the perfect time. Help us to do our part, show us what that is, and help us to trust You to do Yours In Jesus Name. Amen.
Let’s learn to enjoy to wait and rest in the Lord as we do.
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