When someone says, “Just take a seat and we’ll call you when we’re ready for you,” that’s when the anxiety seems to rise to the level of almost nerve-shattering. You know that feeling. Arriving at an appointment that was difficult enough to arrange, palms sweating while driving to the destination, heart throbbing through your chest as you’re making your way to the door with the numbers you memorized all the way from the parking lot.
You had set your internal dial to “hurry up” only to wait. Like putting pedal to the metal only to get to the red light.
Stopping to think about it, we are so bent on experiencing our outcome when we are good and ready for it — usually when we expect to receive the results. We don’t generally prepare ourselves for a delay, postponement, detour, cancellation, or reroute. So, when it happens (on any scale), we are devastated.
Because quite honestly, we think we are all that and a bag of chips! Why would anyone want to put us on hold? After all, we prepared, planned and followed all the rules and protocols.
Yet, it happens to the best of us. And to all of the unsuspecting of us.
Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 NLT
There have been times of searching the Lord for answer to prayer — rather, seeking the Lord for a ‘preferred’ answer to prayer (I’m sure you get that) — where He specifically turns my head to feast on morsels of His Word that reveal my next step.
Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.Psalm 37:7a NLT
And after still thinking that I’m ‘hearing’ incorrectly, He gently nudges me in that familiar way because He loves me.
This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place.
It will not be delayed. Habakkuk 2:3 NLT
Surely, I’m misunderstanding. But I’m not. When you seek the Lord with all your heart, you will find Him. And that includes the deepest longings you hope to see fulfilled in this lifetime. He is the fulfillment of those longings. Emotions cloud and distract us from what we are truly pursuing. Noise can confuse and debilitate us, sending us running in the wrong direction. We begin to grasp for temporal satisfaction. When we come to our senses and realize that His Purpose for us is to trust Him with our needs, the hidden becomes apparent.
But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.) Romans 8:25 NLT
“GOD, my request really isn’t that monumental … it’s far less than ending poverty and housing the homeless … I’m not asking for a palatial or grandiose lifestyle … You know I’m a person of simple means and very little satisfies me … so, do You think You could just speed up the timing on this one thing?” Ever prayed something similar, Friend? Trust me, I’ve done it more times than I want to admit.
And still He responds with the faithful consistency which I depend upon.
Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. Romans 15:4 NLT
By now, you may be noticing the two most poignant words, that when joined together, can make even my firm shoulders retreat into a position of surrender.
Wait patiently.
Because I don’t want to. Because it’s my human nature to want that fast pass and avoid all the learning stops and skip right into experiencing joy.
Only because He loves me does He hold me back from jumping the gun and missing the opportunity to grow. On many, many occasions (at least the ones I can remember) He protected me from disaster had I been allowed to get ahead of His Plan. I’m not talking about mere “delayed gratification.” I’m talking about a heavenly Promise that far outreaches the boundaries of mere temporary gratification and is defined only by its Giver.
When the One True GOD makes a Promise to be your provision, healing, banner of protection, shield, fighter of battles, redeemer, righteousness, comforter, Savior … to never leave you nor abandon you … to lead you to the truth, reveal the truth and be the Truth … He always comes through. He’s the One with the flawless track-record. Trustworthy. Faithful. Even when we are not.
What are you waiting for, Friend? A restored relationship, financial relief, a positive pregnancy test result, a job, housing solution, passing grade that determines your diploma, negative lab results, prodigal family members to return, communication lines to improve between friends, fulfillment of a long awaited dream, promotion that would secure your family’s future, healing from a chronic illness, salvation of a loved one …? You can add to the list ______________________.
Do you wrestle with sitting still and waiting patiently, Friend? You’re in good company. Waiting goes beyond just lack of movement. It’s how we wait. That’s where the companion adverb: patiently tells us exactly how to behave in that parked position.
You may even be thinking: “Why would GOD give me this Promise and make me wait for it?” That’s a good question. And I think the answer to that will be shared between you and He. Because quite frankly, there are somethings that He will only share in the quiet stillness where we meet up with Him, One to one.
The point still remains: wait patiently.
That’s not to say He doesn’t want to hear about how much ‘it’ means to us. I believe those conversations are called prayer. He encourages lots of that. Perhaps while we wait, if we are careful to be patient in our waiting, others around us will take notice of our attitude and want to know what’s making us so calm and peaceful. That happens when we practice this waiting patiently.
Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 NLT
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
I won’t tell you that I’ve got this waiting patiently way of being down to a tee. However, with every request that I make known to my Heavenly Father, there is often the opportunity to be blessed with life lessons that will teach me more than I would have ever expected or imagined. Those are the extras … you know, those complimentary sprinkles. When then it happens, and you and I can say …
“I see GOD now.”
Because suddenly that all-important-life-changing-event that you and I had been desperately begging GOD to grant pales in comparison to what He purposed for us long before our request was spoken. And yes, sometimes He does throw in a few extra sprinkles that we didn’t ask for. Just because you are His.
Linda R. Johnson
To experience His Presence in the waiting is truly the fulfillment of all our needs — even when we don’t realize it. To live life knowing that His Power made it all possible for us, is to be in communion with Him as His Child.
I pray that you will experience His Presence as you wait patiently for His Promise to you to be fulfilled. Those of us that are here with you will gladly scoot over and make room for you to join us.
You are loved to Heaven and Back, Girlfriend ~~
LindaRJohnson, TitusTwo Visionary
Titus Two 
Mercy Me song: Hurry up and wait. 🎶
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