Worth the Wait (#71 of 365+)

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” (Psalm 27:14)

Lately I’ve heard this saying in the media quite a bit: “Wait for it…
Waaait fooor iiiit…”

Children get so excited about Christmas, mostly because they know they’re getting presents. The wait can be excruuuu-ciating. A countdown of some sort, like those chocolate advent calendars, can ease “the pain of waiting” because every day from December 1st through Christmas Eve the child will open one window and find a tiny treat. Parental guidance is strongly advised!

There’s nothing wrong with being filled with anticipation and struggling to contain yourself when you know you’re going to receive something wonderful. However, throwing a temper tantrum in the toy aisle because you’re not getting That toy, right now! is something entirely different. I’m not talking about the way children behave. I’m talking about adults! Myself included.

Joni hit the nail on the head when she said, “Waiting for the Lord means putting his desires before our own, believing that he will meet our needs with generosity and love in his good time. But it’s difficult sometimes… you really don’t want to check in with the Lord, discern his mind and his desires, and wait for his green light.” She also said that our effort, our wisdom, and our timing can never be as good as God’s perfect plan. Even when we feel pressured to make a rush decision because the opportunity might disappear, we should still take the time to ask him and wait for his peace about it (Philippians 4:6-7). If it is something God wants for us then the opportunity will still be there when we’re ready to receive it.

After his resurrection, Jesus met with his disciples and told them to wait in Jerusalem for his gift. They were curious about specifics like “when” and “what”. So they asked him about it. He responded, “Timing is the Father's business” and “What you'll get is the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:7-8 MSG). In other words: Leave the timing and everything to God. He will make everything work out perfectly. Just wait for it. It will be worth the wait!

Lord, I can always rely on your perfect timing. Ease my trigger finger today, give me wisdom, and show me a sign. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.