Waiting

Waiting has never really been one of my strong points.  Perhaps it comes easier to some people than to others, but it seems to me that any time I have to wait on something, there is a great internal struggle.  “Why is this taking so long?!”  I ask myself.  Many times, this impatience is not displayed in my outward demeanor, but it is there all the same.  Just the other day, our family went out to eat together.  It was not a special occasion—just a time for enjoyment.  I had several coupons to defray the cost of the meal, and my husband asked if I wanted to “haggle” with the cashier over the tab.  I think he just didn’t want to mess with the coupons! :)

I went to the register and stood in line, waiting for my turn to pay.  Eventually, I was next in line, and the cashier/waitress entered my tab.  She shuffled through all the coupons, entered them, and the total popped up on the computer screen.  She swiped my card, but nothing happened.  She looked nervously at me, and said the computer was acting up.  I smiled and said it was no problem.  She apologized profusely and asked to swipe the card again.  And again.  By this time, I had been standing at the counter for almost ten minutes.  It felt like an eternity, and yet I knew it was not her fault.  Three cashiers later, they were finally able to take my payment, and I walked back to our table, rather relieved the whole thing was over.

As I thought back over the whole situation, I analyzed my thoughts and actions.  While I would never have blamed the cashier for the delay, neither was I feeling very patient.  Everyone else whizzed through the line with no problems, and the computer decided to go haywire on me!  The inconvenience of waiting is not fun.

There are many time in life that we must wait.  You must wait for a baby to develop and be born.  You must wait for graduation, driver’s license, marriage, job opportunities, the perfect home, children, careers, education, as well as many other things. Life is all about waiting.  Why is that so hard? 

I was reading in my devotions the other morning, and came across the verse “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say on the LORD.”  Ps. 27:14   We have been praying about a certain decision, and while doors seem to be cracking open in several directions, we do not want to barge through a door that is not fully open. The Lord just seemed to take this verse and apply it to my heart and say, “Just wait on Me, my child.”  We are still praying, but from past experience, I know the Lord will swing the door of opportunity open wide in His time, and there will be no room for doubt, regret, or delay.

I am so glad that His Word can daily speak to my heart and guide my steps.  The best part about it is that when I rest in Him and wait for Him, He always gives His best to me.  When I wait, I never have to settle for second-best in anything!  Now that is an incentive to be patient!