I glared at the rain through my window. It had arrived earlier than expected interrupting me as I painted the two 4×6 boards. Everything was waiting on these two boards. I couldn’t finish arranging the rocks around my pond or rearrange the water irises or plant any new land plants until the bridge was installed. And we couldn’t install the bridge until the foundation boards – these boards – were in place. And now it would be days before they dried enough to finish painting them.

I hate waiting. Waiting for flowers to multiply and bloom. Waiting for my husband to help with something I can’t do on my own. Waiting for the light to turn green. Waiting for the nurse to call my name. Waiting for the arrival of a special day.

Often over the years, if I could make something happen to shorten the wait, I would. If God appeared to be taking too long, I would help Him get it done. When someone was too slow at finishing a project, I would do it for them. And in many of those occasions, I ended up regretting it.

However, the older I get, the more I find myself accepting times of waiting as part of life. I have experienced God’s timing countless times, and the times I waited on Him always turned out better than when I grew impatient and ran ahead of Him.

The key to waiting patiently has to do with my eyes. When I focused on the situation, I stressed about the delay. My impatience impacted how I felt and acted. But slowly, as I trained my eyes to focus on God and His promises instead of on the current situations, waiting became easier. God doesn’t worry about time. His plans will be accomplished regardless of anything that I see as delays. So if He’s not worried about the when, why should I? My life is in His hands – and that includes not only what happens but when it happens.

I still hate waiting. But I don’t try to force my plans to happen on my schedule as often. After today’s initial disappointment of the rain, I relaxed and allowed God to be God in this area of my life also. I directed my attention to Him and to the things I could do while I waited – like working on my Bible study, doing laundry, and taking a nap. Sometimes, it seems that it’s in the waiting that God works on our behalf.  And someday I may grow to the point when I don’t have even the initial disappointment.

Thoughts to ponder:

Rain will fall on everyone’s plans sooner or later. In the spiritual realm, it’s not about what the rain does to your plans. It’s about what you do in the wait.

Do you waste time as you fret over the change in your plans?

Do you view the delay as an enemy attack and fight it?

Do you accept it as is and use your time waiting in a productive way?

Do you trust in the Lord’s timing?

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Scriptures:

But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel. But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness and put God to the test in the desert. Psalm 106:13-14

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in sprit is better than the proud in spirit. Ecclesiastes 7:8

And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. Hebrews 6:15

You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. James 5:8

The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. Lamentations 3:25