I hate waiting. You know those seasons when life forces us to be uncomfortable in the present while we anxiously waiting for the next thing. I waited a long time to find my life partner. I remember waiting for the kids to be out of diapers. I waited for when they could take their own showers. Mostly I was waiting for rest and needed sleep. Those years are all now a blur. I remember waiting for college acceptance letters for my girls. We waited over a year to hear where we would be appointed after we left Winter Park. Honestly, sometimes it feels like all we do is wait. But there are certain seasons that are far more challenging... waiting on test results... waiting on work relocations... waiting on babies to be born and waiting on pain to end. The prophet Habakkuk takes about waiting in Chapter 2.
And then God answered: “Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time. (Habakkuk 2:2-3, The Message)
I have often questioned God’s timing. It rarely seems fast; in fact, it often feels way too slow. Yet God never wastes time. In the season of waiting, He frequently uses this time to shape us and mold us. Shaping and molding is never fun, but it is so necessary for our maturing. Waiting forces us to question everything around us, including God. Waiting teaches us to trust God when we would rather trust ourselves. Waiting makes us all face our vulnerabilities. Waiting makes us remember that we are the created ones; and God is the creator. The prophet Habakkuk is waiting for God’s justice in a world that is torn upside down. He is waiting for what seems like the impossible. That is truly the hardest waiting when what you ask for seems impossible. Yet when the impossible finally arrives, we cannot deny the fingerprint of God on the final outcome. If you are in a season of waiting, don’t give up. While waiting is uncomfortable and leaves us anxious, God’s eventual answer will help fade the memories of waiting; and our hearts will be stronger and our faith ready to take on the next season, even if it means more waiting.