Yesterday I found myself waiting once again for a situation for which I have prayed much. I sighed. I cried. Then I ran…to the Lord. I poured out my heart to Him, and it felt good to give it all back to Him. I reminded myself to give thanks for this waiting. I remembered, too, that Isaiah 40:31 says that if we wait on the Lord we will have renewed strength. Praise the Lord. The last thing I did was go to my blog for other posts I’ve written and remember what the Lord has taught me while I waited on Him in the past. The following is an old post that was a good reminder for me. Let me share it…
I will never forget the anxious moments of waiting. I was a soon-to-be post college student seeking God’s will for my future. My name had been given to a pastor (Pastor Cunningham) who was looking for a secretary for the Christian school at his church, and I was waiting for my appointment with him where I would be interviewed for the position.
I arrived promptly at our set time, climbed the stairs to the Student center, and peeked into doorway of the interview office (from a distance). I saw a man talking with a student. Immediately, I assumed that he was the man I was waiting for. I seated myself on a sofa outside the office, in a place where I would be easily seen when he exited the interview office. Then I waited…and waited.
At another place across from where I sat, a man was seated. It appeared that, he too, was waiting for someone. We both waited. I was thinking about the exam that I was going to be taking in the next class period and wishing I could be studying instead of just sitting. The waiting grew wearisome. The interview inside the office continued, and I grew more and more impatient and frustrated. I kept looking at my watch wondering how long I would have to wait, and wondering if I would miss my appointment because he’d gone too long with this other person. Finally after 15-20 minutes, the gentleman that was seated nearby got up and approached me, and suddenly I had a funny feeling the my waiting had been in vain.
“Are you waiting to be interviewed by him?” the man asked, nodding toward the interview office.
“Yes I am” I replied.
“What is his name?” he asked.
“Mr. Cunningham” was my answer. The man smiled and then said laughing, “Iam Mr. Cunningham! I assumed you were waiting for him since you kept looking toward that office!”
I introduced myself and then our interview got underway. Of course, you must realize that I got the job, and I also got his son for a husband a few years later – now that’s some deal! =)
As I’ve looked back over that interview all those years ago, I remember how awkward I felt waiting. After waiting for a long time a person begins to realize that something isn’t right. Perhaps someone waits for a friend at a restaurant and they never show, then they look at their calendar on their phone and realize their lunch date was for the next day. Sometimes waiting without response can have a tragic end because the person who was supposed to show up was in an accident or got sick. Waiting for people can have awkward moments.
Waiting on the Lord is altogether different, however.
Lamentations 3:25 says,
The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
Even when we wait for a very long time for the Lord to answer our cries, we don’t have to wonder if He’s misunderstood. We don’t have to question if He’s really going to show up. There’s no need to doubt about Him keeping the appointment! He will always hear, He will “show up” at just the right time, and He will keep His appointment with us and our situation!
As you wait on God, don’t get up and leave. Don’t start doubting. Don’t start sighing in desperation. Your waiting will not be in vain. You can trust in Him because He is good and will do good in your life!
Did anyone else need the reminder of the blessing of waiting?
With love,
RefreshHer 