While I'm Waiting...

“So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God" Hosea 12:6 (ESV).

I don't know about you, but I have such a hard time being patient sometimes. And not just for the light to turn green, the person in front of me to make a decision, or for my friend to finish getting ready so we can leave. In fact, I find that in those daily types of situations, I can be a fairly patient person.

What I have a hard time with is the big stuff... knowing whether or not a life-altering job offer should be accepted, learning what it is that God wants me to do as service in a particular situation with a struggling friend, waiting for His indication on whether or not a relationship choice is right for me, a big purchase is something I should spend the money on, or if I'm meant to further pursue a family member who is walking far from the Lord.

I pray about these things. Sometimes I pray heartily and desperately. What I have more difficulty with is waiting for an answer. I like to say that if we (the humans of the world) would just "wait for the knowing", we'd save ourselves an immense amount of heartache. There are SO many questions that I and others in my life have had: Should I end this relationship? Should I quit my job/take this new job? How should I respond to this particular conflict? The list goes on and on.

My experience is that it's often almost intolerable for us to wait in that gray area of not-knowing...so, rather than experience that discomfort, we just charge forward on our own wisdom and steam. Oftentimes, in retrospect, I see that if I'd only waited for God's words of confirmation, I could have been spared incredibly painful and challenging situations that have unfolded out of my own insistence on avoiding the discomfort of waiting in the unknown.

This verse from Hosea not only gives me needed encouragement to keep waiting, but also points out a couple key helps: 1) While I'm waiting, I can busy myself with the other commands of this verse: holding fast to love and justice. If I can wait on God to do His part (His sense of time being far superior to, but so different from my own!), then I can keep busy by acting out His love for justice and love. There is much service I can do in that regard.

The other thing that's pointed out is that these commands are to be carried out "by the help of your God." Not only do I not have to do it alone, I'm not meant to! Hallelujah!

As I sit here, it takes me only seconds to come up with some areas in which I am definitely waiting on God - with varied degrees of patience and peace. As I live into these areas and work with the Lord on them, I am reminded and encouraged by this verse. There are things I can do in the meantime (practice an adoration of love and justice). That helps. It keeps my mind off of me and my impatience! And far more importantly, as I struggle to surrender these things to Him again and again, I can ask for help. And not just any help! His help! Isn't it an amazing blessing that although I cannot control God's timing (thankfully!), I can ask for His help in staying patient and faithful while I wait?

He's an amazing Lord. Though I confess that my heart does, at times, get impatient, I will keep waiting!

Thank you, Precious Lord, for your patience with me! Please help me to be steadfast in faith as I wait for your perfect timing to play out. Amen.