this whole concept of waiting baffles, eludes and delights me.
the Bible says “good things come to those that wait”…
initially, for me, the concept of waiting means resting on one’s laurels. being slothful. what exactly is the line between sloth and patience? or better yet, between apathy and patience?
i feel like i’m in a constant state of ‘wait’…
i’m waiting to find out about a potential job opportunity. i’m also waiting to find out if a certain agent will accept the task of finding a publisher for both of my books, or even just one of them. i’m waiting to find out whether or not my mother will ever get better, or what will happen to my father in law’s farm.
perhaps ‘wait’ is not an action, but a noun. it’s a thing to be abided, and it’s what we DO while we wait which matters. if i choose to keep acting in faith while sitting in ‘waitedness’ surely this is honorable? while some days i want to scream and pound at the air and demand to know answers, the answer lies in my response… my response to this very moment. right now. how am i responding in this instant to all of the ‘what ifs’ that lie out there?
after all, i may not live to find out any of those answers. i could die tomorrow. and then, what would the purpose of my waiting have been? well, it would have served as a chance for me to once again prove faithful in the small things, in the moment by moment happenings, which will ultimately answer the one big question we all have: where will i spend eternity?
imperfect prose 
Amy Pearl said,
February 6, 2008 at 6:31 pm
There is a big difference between “waiting” and waiting with the attitude of “patience”. That is what I think, all our “waiting” is for (it’s a tough learing experience for sure, and usually not very fun) But it’s our character that God cares most about, not ness. our circumstances. (that’s my deep thought for the day).
peace, a.
melanie said,
February 7, 2008 at 2:05 am
Hey Em,
This was a beautiful post. I can relate to these thoughts on waiting. Last year seemed like one long wait! May the Lord grant you peace as you wait.
love, Mel
Teneale said,
February 7, 2008 at 2:29 am
I hate waiting for things…why can’t things happen now? In my time? I guess its because I don’t know best. I sometimes think I do, and then find out the hard way that I do not, in fact, know best. I find it hard to balance wanting to do what God knows best and waiting…or just doing what I want right now…and if I do that and it works, was that God’s plan in the first place? Ok, even I’m confused now. I guess its just like you said, it’s what we do with our wait time. But we definitly can’t just sit around either, like “sloths” and do nothing. God wants us to work towards what we want to…but it just won’t happen until he is ready. Sigh. That is a hard concept to accept.
We are going snowboarding in Banff this weekend for my birthday. I’ll be thinking about you and wishing you were there. We got the ok from Mom and Dad, there are only 9 calves left! We are almost finished already, which is good.
Love you
Auntie D said,
February 12, 2008 at 3:05 am
Yes, waiting upon the Lord .. I love the verses from Psalm 40:1-3 .. I waited and waited and waited for the Lord .. and He “finally” listened ..
It reminds me that delays do not necessarily mean denials. God answers prayer at the time that is best suited to the accomplishment of His purposes in our lives. His help comes, not too soon, that we should not know the blessedness of trusting in the dark .. and not too late, that we should not know the misery of trusting in vain.
I have a hard time grasping my head around that one, and in visiting the “pit,” or the “dungeon” where we see our loved ones suffering and in pain and there seems to be no end; times when we pray and groan and cry but nothing seems to happen … yes, waiting and trusting .. and waiting … and holding on to God’s promises that He will never leave us.
May you feel His presence in your life with each new day!
Love you,
Auntie D.