Most people HATE waiting.
Except Mary.
If you’re over 30 you probably remember when retail stores introduced the new initiative to attract customers “If we see three or more customers in line we will open a new checkout line.” What an exciting day that was! It wasn’t long before retail stores everywhere adopted this policy.
It’s funny, now when I shop at a store, I find myself getting irritated at long lines. That’s when I hear a little voice inside my head reminding me that it wasn’t too many years ago when long lines were part of shopping at popular stores….
We get used to conveniences – that’s human nature. And it’s not too long before we EXPECT conveniences that were once perks.
Except Mary.
Nowadays we want what we want, when we want it. And, honestly, we usually want it NOW!
It’s a time where the faster the better. Faster computers. Faster webpages. Faster checkout lines. That’s the beauty of online shopping. It’s quick and easy.
We LOVE quick and easy.
Except Mary.
Recently, during our small group meeting, Mary made a comment, “I’m very unusual.” Not wanting her to feel odd, I challenged her statement and asked her why she would say that.
“Because I like waiting.”
“What do you mean?” I inquired.
“I like waiting on the Lord, it’s like a game to me.”
“Oh, yeah. You are unusual!” I laughed, “tell me more.”
“For me it’s fun to see what the Lord is going to do. When we are waiting for something, most people get frustrated and impatient. But I see it as a time where God is working behind the scenes and I get excited! I can’t wait to see what He’s going to pull off this time!”
WOW! What a great attitude!
As I listened to Mary share her stories, it was refreshing to hear how her waiting in expectation was almost amusing to her. She and her husband had wanted to move to Florida to be near her mother, but couldn’t seem to afford the move. When a friend of her mother’s had wanted to sell her home, she hoped and prayed that the numbers would work out, but they didn’t. Although disappointed, they waited expectantly. A year or so later, another friend of her mother’s offered her condo for rent. This time the timing and money worked out perfectly as Mary and her husband had just decided to put their home up for sale in Indiana. Within a few weeks their home had sold and they were on their way to Florida!
Mary was confident. She knew her God would provide. And the waiting was part of the fun! She continued her story…. After living in the home for a short time, she and her husband decided they wanted to purchase it, but the owner wasn’t ready to sell. Mary prayed. And waited. Expecting.
After two years, their guest bathroom started showing signs of its 25 years and the repair bills started adding up. This was enough to change the owner’s mind and before long the owner offered to sell to Mary and her husband for a great price! Once again, Mary was delighted to see what God had done!
Now Mary waits for more important things, like her son’s well being. But she doesn’t get rattled. In fact she doesn’t mind waiting. Because she know that she has a God that intimately cares about every one of her concerns. From her living situation to her children’s well being.
God is working.
A Minute to Meditate
Meditating on waiting might be awkward, because we don’t like silence. Especially the silence of waiting. What we experience as silence is not God being silent- just quiet. God is not idle. He does not slumber.
Our waiting is a time to lean, trust and get excited at what God is about to do!
Psalm 33:20-22
We wait for the Lord; he is our deliverer and shield.
For our hearts rejoice in him, for we trust in his holy name.
May we experience your faithfulness, O Lord, for we wait for you.
Romans 8:25
But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance.
Sarah J Callen says
Wow! What an incredible story and a great perspective. Thank you so much for sharing!
Char G. says
I love that perspective too Sarah! It’s taught me a lot about seeing the excitement of waiting on the Lord.
Charlotte says
It’s funny what that shift in perspective can do for our moods and wellbeing. You’re right. We’ve become an incredibly impatient society because of the conveniences of modern life. There are no lines. There is no waiting. And we zip through life and we don’t enjoy the little things any longer. Thanks for sharing this (and I don’t remember the days before multiple checkout lines, but will start to relax if I find myself waiting in one, thank you for the reminder!).
Char G. says
You’re right Charlotte – so much is about our perspective!
Cheryl says
As I reflect on my own life, during the times I wanted things to happen and they didn’t. I can honestly, say, something always came along afterwards, that was even better. I have a saying in our household, “On God’s time”. We often believe that we know what is best for us but when I think about the times when things went down a different path, my course in life was much smoother.
Char G. says
God’s timing is rarely my timing! But I do see that in retrospect there is a bigger picture and can see Him working something more than I can imagine. Thanks for sharing Cheryl!
Christa says
Oh that we all had Mary’s confidence! I think that is the part I lack. When God asks me to wait, I lose confidence in my calling and begin to doubt.
Char G. says
That’s easy to do Christa. We have to fight against doubt and fear, because God’s calling and his gifts are irrevocable (Romans 11:29). That’s encouraging! I heard a story tonight about how God laid on a woman’s heart to write a book. Twenty years passed and when she recently went through some health issues, she was totally home-bound. Guess what? She wrote her book! Be encouraged. God is working. Don’t lose confidence!!
Joy says
Wow…what a wonderful reminder this post was to me tonight. Her attitude is so inspiring. May God bless her for trusting in Him so deeply. Thank you for sharing!
Char G. says
Amen!! Mary’s a great example to me on how to just trust God!