It seems all that I have been doing lately is waiting. I don’t know that I am voicing a complaint as much as just observing the state of things. I tend to be one of those A-type personalities that wants to get things done – right now…. But I have noticed that there seems to be a sense of calm in the midst of all the turmoil that I find to be quite refreshing. In fact, I am kind of enjoying this new slant on life.
About a year ago, I had Covid and it hit me pretty hard. I was sicker than the proverbial dog. Breathing was somewhat difficult at night and I just didn’t feel that well. I knew about “long” Covid but it didn’t occur to me that I could have contracted it.
Finally, nearly a year later, I finally feel much better. It was a long wait! In fact, I had come to the belief that at 71 years of age, I couldn’t expect to feel as good as when I was younger. I can’t believe how much better I feel, other than the rather severe pain in my jaw where my recently extracted tooth used to be – in fact, it is now a dry socket… but I have come to accept that if it involves teeth, it could very well happen to me.
So now I am waiting for my latest blood work results (waiting once again) and for my doc appointment next week for my regular checkup. And there are other things that I am waiting for – the list is long. But a good friend of mine reminded me of one of my favorite sayings – “we are on a need-to-know basis with God and some things we don’t need to know.”
When our hot water heater went out several weeks ago, we had to WAIT a week for another unit to be installed. When they came to do the semi-annual furnace and A/C inspection it was too cold to check things accurately, so we have to WAIT for them to come back when it gets consistently warmer. I still have to power wash the outside furniture but the rain has been almost non-stop – guess what, I have to WAIT until the weather clears… I could go on and on…
That’s what faith is all about. Many of us want to know the entire story, but God usually doesn’t work that way. He only gives us the next step in the process and we have to learn to accept that. That’s a tough lesson in itself but I think that I am learning to have more patience. We just have to wait!
I think that maybe God is trying to teach me something – and that something is patience. But the big difference this time is that I am a willing student. In fact, I like the place that I am in. I’m not anxious about it at all. That in itself is something new for me. I am restful and enjoying the journey. It is clear to me that I am in school – God is trying to teach me something. I’d like to stay in this frame of mind…
Our verse for tonight is from the prophet Isaiah. He tells us that waiting for God is a good thing. In fact, he says in Isaiah 40:31, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
My encouragement this evening is that God is constantly teaching us in His own inimitable way. Sometimes, we are aware of the lesson as it is happening and sometimes we have to have some distance behind us to see what God was trying to teach us. My prayer is that we will be attentive to the leadings of the Lord and remember that we, on occasion, just have to sit and let the love of God just wash over us – waiting to be led in the ways that He has already ordained for us. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…