My Soul Waits

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; (Psalm 130:5)

I would like to offer a few thoughts on a stance that is not popular in our culture: waiting.

I do not like waiting. Waiting is a “bad” thing, despised even, in a society that craves “quick” and “instant.” But what are we losing by eliminating the wait? Calm? Connection? Contemplation? Breath?

God, in His wisdom, asks His people to wait repeatedly. I am amazed that the Israelites waited for forty years in the desert; I feel taxed when I have to wait five minutes in a checkout line. At some point I hope to actually realize that life is in the waiting; I really struggle with this concept. I miss a lot of the now when I am anticipating the not yet.

Waiting is a holy posture. If done with hope, it is a posture of trust. It is a refusal to be sucked into the panic that leads to actions taken in an effort to gain control, a kind of control that often may not be in our own best interest. I have been experimenting with this waiting thing, and I keep finding that as I wait, solutions arise and are presented like gifts -- solutions that would not have occurred if I had given in to the rush to “fix.” There is a time to act. When a crisis arises, control must be taken before destruction ensues. However, we often perceive events as crises that needn’t be perceived as such, and we charge to action with half-cast strategies. As I have learned to wait, I have come to trust that I will know when it is time for action, and when that time comes, I am typically graced with peace and courage to make moves that would have been more difficult if done in haste.

My encouragement to you is to take a deep breath, look at your circumstances, look to God, and wait. Wait with peace and gratitude and trust. Embrace the wait for what it might have to offer. You may be astounded by unexpected blessings.