Waiting is tricky business. Waiting can either bring out the best or the worst in us, and the act of waiting and what it may expose of our character can actually be a very good measure of our maturity in Christ. For example, does waiting in a long line stir up intense frustration, impatience or even anger? Or is it seen as an opportunity for a few minutes of quiet contemplation before the Lord, a time to talk to those around us and share salvation, a moment of intercession, a time to meditate on memorized scripture, a few refrains of our favorite hymn to linger in our thoughts… Those could be some options for making a potential annoyance into something of great worth.
But what happens when waiting isn’t as brief as getting stuck in a long line? What if waiting takes months or years? Abraham and Sarah experienced that kind of waiting (Genesis chs 15-21). They attempted to have children, but Sarah was barren. God came to Abraham in a vision and promised Abraham an heir from his own body. Sarah got impatient, and with Abraham’s agreement, gave him her maidservant as a proxy for childbearing and produced Ishmael.
The problem? Because of their impatience and their attempt to fulfill God’s promise in their own way, they created a situation that invited unnecessary complications. God’s timing would have produced a smoother transition into His promise for their lives.
Today, if the Lord has put on your heart to wait on Him in a matter, then obey. Use the waiting time to read His Word, pray, rest in His presence, … Enjoy this moment. He will accomplish that which He has promised; just put your trust and hope in Him (Isaiah 40:27-31).
–Katie Botello
