Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Micah 7:7 (NIV)
But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
(Photo: May 2018, jumping for joy outside the hospital that I don't have cancer!)
I was at a songwriting workshop one Saturday afternoon learning how to develop this facet of my passion for music. Although those running the workshop weren’t Christians, one leader’s comment rings out in my head to this day. He said there was something prophetic about songwriting. He said often after writing a song, circumstances caused him to live out his own lyrics.
That was certainly true for me. In 2017 I began writing songs about trusting God and facing fears. In that time I wrote a chorus called “Waiting Room”. Little did I know this would literally be my experience in the near future. If you read my blog from March 2018, you know that the following December I found a lump in my right breast that led to a string of appointments for physical exams, a mammogram, two ultrasounds and two biopsies. It was five months of waiting for an answer and the possibility of surgery hanging over my head. I am thankful it was finally determined I am cancer-free, but I am also thankful for that season of waiting. God used that time to develop my trust in Him as I literally had to say, “I’ll wait for You, I’ll trust in You in this waiting room.”
Waiting isn’t an easy task. In the age of microwaves and high-speed wifi, we’re used to getting results and information quickly and easily. However, no 5-star restaurant would ever serve a high quality salmon after throwing it in the microwave, and I certainly wouldn’t pay for a filet mignon that was cooked that way. Quality takes time. It takes patience, perseverance and a (sometimes steep) learning curve to acquire the necessary skills to reach the goal. We often feel alone as we wait for God to move, but we all eventually need to wait for something. As John C. Maxwell points out:
“Noah waited 120 years before the predicted rains arrived.
Abraham waited 25 years for a promised son.
Joseph waited 14 years in prison for a crime he did not commit.
Job waited perhaps a lifetime, 60 to 70 years, for God's justice.”
As you wait on God, be encouraged that He is developing and maturing you. Quality takes time! His timing is perfect and He is preparing you for the journey ahead.
REFLECTION: Recall a time that you had to wait for something you really wanted. How did you grow during that waiting period?