The Waiting Period

So a few weeks back one of the youth leaders in my church asked me to do a youth message. I always get nervous when asked to do things like this, because although I can speak publicly and give speeches, messages are a different. Messages are not an art of eloquent speaking (although this helps), it's something given from God, meant to edify the body you are speaking to.

I prayed (also asked Roshan and Rony to pray) and came up with the following thoughts and I wanted to share them with my readers (if you attend my church you heard this on saturday). I feel that this applies to all christians (or it should at some point and time in your walk).

I hate waiting. I am sure I have written on here about my disdain for waiting and my love for refreshing when waiting on emails or checking through the blinds every 3-5 minutes when waiting for the mail or packages to arrive. While preparing these thoughts I was reminded of a particular lesson in children's church about patience. The children were given to options 1) They would get a small piece of candy right then and there 2) If they held out and didn't request the small candy they would get some better prize at the end (which they were not told specifically what it was). Can you guess which they chose?-(Just in case you couldn't...it was the first option).

But this phenomenon of instant gratification isn't only seen among children, it's engrained within our society. "I think it, I want it, I need it". We have been labeled a "Fast Food Nation"- Meaning by the time I order that Big Mac and reach the first window it better be ready with a side order of fries and a large Coke.

At times, as Christians we approach God using this same mindset. We throw up a prayer and expect him to answer immediately and ask "would you like some fries with that?"

Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work like that. I have heard pastors speak and say that God has three answers  1. Yes, 2. No, 3. Wait. It's this last one that people have the most difficulty with and it's what I would like to focus on.

Although we hate waiting, the Bible has many positive attributes contributed to waiting. In Psalm 27:14 it says "Be brave and wait upon the lord", In Isaiah 40: 30, 31 "Those that wait upon the lord shall rise up on wings like eagles..."

Whether we like it or not at some point in our Christian walk we are going to experience what is considered a "waiting period." The time frame may vary from person to person. For some it may take a week, for others a month, for others a year, for some FIFTEEN years. I have considered these past few months (and the next few months until August) my waiting period.

I believe that God gives us waiting periods in order to teach us, and in teaching us that we may learn, in learning we may grow, and in growing we become more and more the way he wants us to be in accordance to his will.

I would like to share three particular things that I believe that God teaches us during our "Waiting Period."

1. Trust

Part of the reason we hate to wait so much is because we are secretly control freaks. Waiting means that we have no idea how long before said thing happens, no idea what means will be used, or through what method it will be achieved. Basically, we are not going to be able to pencil it into our planners. This leads to some of our control being relinquished to God (OH NO!).

A few months back our fearless choir leader came back from his extended vacation (his family has moved there) for a week and he shared with the church about the difference between being knee deep in water vs being immersed in water. When you are knee deep you still have control of your motions and direction over your body, when you are immersed the water has control over you. Just like this, its about time that we become immersed in God and allow him to have control over our lives and our "waiting periods". Don't you think that the God who created the universe and knew you from your mothers womb, knows what's best for you?

In the book of Genesis, we run into the character of Joseph. Joseph was given a great promise, but he had a looong waiting period before he ever saw it come to reality. Throughout his waiting period, Joseph stayed true to himself and to God. He trusted the promise and eventually it all worked out even better then he could have imagined.

When we are giving waiting periods, if we could just learn to trust God, our ride would be much smoother, and eventually everything will be as it should (without us having stress ulcers and heart attacks, or strokes).

2. Humility

The second thing that I believe God teaches us during our waiting period is humility.

Deuteronomy 8:2,3

2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word [1] that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

This particular passage talks about the Israelites who had to wait forty years before reaching the promise land. During this time God humbled them and taught them to rely on him and his goodness. It is very easy to become christian snobs or christian rock tappers. To believe that it is our own self righteousness that moves God to answer our prayers. God gives us waiting periods to remind us that the power does not lie in the person that prays but rather the God who answers the prayer in accordance to his will.

Humility teaches us to relate to one another. When you go through a waiting period and God teaches you humbleness, he also opens your eyes to your brother or sister (in christ) who is hurting or in the same place that you are. Before your waiting period you may have been unable to reach them emotionally, but now you can relate to them and once you can relate to them you are also able to minister to them. There is a distinct possibility that God gave you a waiting period so that you could minister to others who are in desperate need.

Let us remember to humble ourselves, for it is in humbling that God remembers to lift us up.

3. Thankfulness

The third lesson is thankfulness. This is perhaps the hardest of the three. When you go through a waiting period you experience a wide range of emotions. From anger, bitterness, disappointment to distrust and depression. It becomes very hard to feel thankful for the situation we are in. I know that I had much difficulty with this one. I was angry and disappointed. I felt that I was entitled to a better situation or a better hand then the one I was dealt, and it became very hard for me to feel thankful. I was quick to forget that even the small blessings I had were by the grace of God. We have to be like Job and remember that the same God who gives is the same God who takes away. Be thankful no matter the situation or circumstance. God will always turn things around at the right time.

I am not sure how many people reading this are going through/have gone through a waiting period. But I urge you not to close yourself off from God in anger and disappointment. Don't pull away from him, instead draw near and open your heart to what he is trying to teach you and be attentive and learn. If you harden your heart you may have to repeat this cycle of waiting until you do learn. Don't worry, Humble yourself, trust God and be thankful. It will work out better then you can expect.



UPDATE: So I have not been very faithful to my 4 am wake up and pray sessions. I need to put more effort. Otherwise figure out a different method. =) Hope everyone is doing well.


HAPPY THINKING.