The Waiting

An observation from our trip to Cumberland Falls....  

At one point during our hike the other day, we had to stop and take a quick rest.  Ashlyn was sitting on a rock, and she was not exactly excited about the break.  She began complaining to me about having to wait, which irritated me because I have been trying to teach her about patience anyway.  So, after I reminded her to try and be patient, I told her that instead of complaining about waiting, we should take advantage of it and use it as an opportunity to look around and discover things we might otherwise miss.  At that moment, we both looked around, and I immediately saw a big hornet nest hanging from a tree!  That was a first for both of us, and we would have missed it had we not been waiting!

After writing about our trip in the last blog, I started thinking about how this same story can apply to our lives.  Sometimes we don't like waiting--especially on answers to prayer or granted requests we feel we deserve now. Have you ever prayed about something for a really long time and felt like nothing had changed?  Have you ever felt like God was "silent"?  I have been there.  And as I reflect back, I have seen that it is during those times when God actually urges us to look to and seek Him--for then we will discover things that we might otherwise miss.  It is during those times when God teaches us so much, so that we can then emerge with renewed strength and vigor.  

I'm thinking of scripture such as Isaiah 40:31, "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength;  they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary."  

Sometimes we have to wait.  That's just the way it is.  But the next time you find yourself waiting, remember that it isn't just wasted time.  It's time for discovering and learning about God and His plan for your life.  For me, those times have been crucial in the development of Godly character and the understanding of my need for Him.  I thank God for the waiting.  Just think of what we might otherwise miss.