Fast Day 8 Waiting

Waiting can be the hardest thing for us to do, especially when we can't do anything to shorten the wait time. With technology advancements, gratification is instantaneous. If we “can’t” wait, we can pay to expedite the process. We can get what we want when we want it. Sometimes it can feel like we can’t do anything until we have that item or answer. To sit in a state of not knowing is uncomfortable. It can be exhausting. It can cause a lot of anxious thoughts to invade our minds, making us feel like the wait for what we assume the end result is going to be (based on our understanding) isn’t worth it. 

Andrew Carnegie said, “Anything in life worth having is worth waiting for.” A very true quote, but what Carnegie didn’t have in the waiting, was God. God uses the waiting to teach us, mold us, and remind us to fix our eyes on Him. Through the waiting He instills patience and trust in the plan He has for us. Carnegie also used an earthly measure for the value of things in this life. What God has planned for us on Earth is far greater than anything we could possibly imagine or ask for (Ephesians 3:20). Simply, if we rush the process, the result may meet our expectations, but will only bring us temporary satisfaction. But when we wait and trust in the Lord, the result is greatly beyond our expectations and the satisfaction will last forever. Why settle for less, when God is more than capable and willing to give us more? His promises will always be fulfilled so this wait may be uncomfortable right now, but it is temporary. His promises are eternal. 

It’s like building up a roller coaster ride in our head as we wait in line for an hour, finally getting strapped in, and 2 minutes later the ride is over and you think: that was it? We can pay for a fast pass to avoid waiting in line, but the ride is still only 2 minutes and the satisfaction still fades. The roller coaster in this analogy is something we can see and the result is something we can infer based on our knowledge. We may think we know what the result of our waiting will be, but if we trust in God's timing, not only does it bring Him glory and foster our relationship with Him (which by itself is an incredible gift), it also ensures that we have the amazing, wonderful, and beautiful life he has planned for us. 

Don't give up. Praise him in the waiting. If you feel like you are getting impatient in your season of waiting, ask your Heavenly Father for support and guidance, read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, and listen to Stay Strong by Danny Gokey and/or Take Courage by Bethel.