To the God of Waiting

A dear friend shared with me this quote, “Waiting is not just about what I get at the end of the wait; it’s about who I become as I wait.”

She must have read 7 Ways To Follow God’s Will For Your Wait because I found that article when I searched the quote above because I wanted to find the person who said it.

Finding ourselves in a period of waiting is frustrating. It’s tedious. While the city traffic spills down streets managing to barely miss pedestrians, we feel like we’re sitting by a tree in the forest watching it grow or worse watching the moss crawl up the side of the tree. We can’t see the day-to-day changes.

Waiting is a necessary part of our lives. When I cook something savory or something sweet, I read the recipe and must wait for the combination of ingredients to heat to a certain temperature and then stay at that temperature until goldened just right. It’s a practice in patience and of lifting the pot lid every so often to see how the food looks, bathing my face in a puff of steamy scents. But in that time of the wait, those combined spices and ingredients become something that nourish and give life. The end of the wait means dinner, but the process of the wait created a healthy meal that will nourish bones, muscles, and flesh.

We are not good at waiting. We like the attainment of goals. I love checking things off my lists and I really, really dislike waiting to check of one of my to-do items. And yet, without the wait, there is no story

To the God of Slow-Growing Moss and Fast-Walking People,

Still our steps and steady our eyes on the slow journey of the tree moss. Guide our minds to the refreshment of waiting and the quiet of unproductivity as the character of our souls deepen. May I meander in this life journey, trusting your faithfulness and providence over my life.

 

What About You?

Why do you think waiting is difficult for you? How do you practice contented waiting? I’d love to hear from your own experiences so bounce down to the comments and share!