“And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled” (Romans 15:4).

“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:9).

Not many years ago new fathers weren’t allowed in the labor and delivery rooms of hospitals, so they had to feverishly pace the floor of the “Waiting Room” until the nurse came with news of the Baby and Momma.  A lot of fidgeting was done in those waiting rooms, a good deal of sighing, a lot of cigarette smoking, a lot of nerves on edge.

Nowadays, Dad is welcome right there with Mom, encouraging her on in the process, trying to say the right thing at the right time and give support where it is most certainly needed. Dads are now given something to do while they are waiting.

Waiting has never been a strong suit for most people. Once we have an idea in our minds of how things should be, we will do anything to achieve that goal. Sitting and waiting isn’t one of them; it doesn’t feel progressive, productive, or like we are propelling the issue forward when we just sit and wait.

So we honk our horns, we get mad, we give up, we move on to something else.

But, as it often is, Scripture is counter-intuitive when it comes to waiting. When our waiting is intentional, when it signifies surrender to a better plan, a better timeline, a higher calling, then we are waiting with purpose.

“Let’s think of something to do while we’re waiting.” ~Mister Rogers

Scripture gives us something to do while we are at a stand-still. We can run to Him, to Jesus, and sit at His feet, express our love, and experience His. We can open up His Word and read His promises, making them our declaration day by day.

The alternative is to complain that our mountain doesn’t seem to be budging. To whine that our problem is bigger than we can handle. To grumble that God must not be hearing my prayers.

No, my friend. He hears every one. The intricacies of our miracle-in-waiting are much more delicate than we can comprehend, than we can see through our minuscule peek-hole into the universe.

So, while we wait, we remind ourselves and every living thing around us of how good God is, of how strong He is, of how powerful His promises are, that He meant every one of them, and that they are for me. For me! Not just for others!

Are you waiting around for a miracle, for help in a desperate situation, for God to move a stubborn mountain in your life? Don’t pace the floor in frustration. Pray this plain and simple prayer in the Waiting Room:

Father,

Help me to learn to wait well. It has never been my strong suit, but that’s because I foolishly thought that my agenda and my timeline was ultimately best. Now I see things differently. Now I see that in the real scheme of things, I really know very little. You know all things.

Dearest Father, teach me to wait patiently at Your feet. Just to sit with You, to enjoy Your presence, to soak in the light of Your love, to be fed at Your table, to drink at Your fountain of mercy.

As I wait I will review every promise You have given me. I will declare those promises over my situation. I will rejoice over Your promise, for it shall be fulfilled, for You cannot lie. You are incapable of exaggeration. You are unable to distort the truth, for You are the Truth.

Thank you for teaching me to quiet and still my soul like a weaned child with its mother. I lay it all down, this whole situation. I lay it down at Your feet. I leave it there. Then I simply sit and smile, soak in Your peace and comfort, and rejoice that I am held by You.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen

“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord” (Psalm 27:14).

Photo credit: CJS*64 A man with a camera via Foter.com / CC BY-ND