Worth the Wait

January 31, 2019

By Becky Olszewski

Have you been in a position where you were waiting and you thought you were being so patient? You thought, I can do this! I can wait for the answer and trust God. I've been there and been able to wait. But recently, it was a different story... I was sick of waiting. I wanted an answer from God and I wanted it now. I found myself growing impatient and battling with my thoughts.

One side said, “Just give up, who cares? You’ll never get an answer and you’ll never be happy.” And the other said, “God’s plan will prevail. He is faithful and will provide a path for you.” I knew God was telling me to wait, He made that so clear to me. But I was starting to get down in the dumps about it. “Poor me.” I thought. “Everyone else has it all figured out. Why do I have to wait when they already have all the answers?” Pity parties were becoming part of my daily routine.

I was working on my Bible study one day and God said to me, “It’s not about you”. That’s when it hit me. In my time of waiting, I was totally focused on myself. I was feeling sorry for myself, getting depressed, shuffling through the days wishing they would speed by so the waiting would be over. In that moment, I realized God has called me to more. I was so busy throwing my tantrum that I lost sight of the fact that He wants me to love and help others.

God is so good. He knows exactly what we need when we need it. I was asked to attend a Bible study last summer called “Just Open the Door” by Jen Schmidt. The study focuses on loving, serving and welcoming others into your life. In the study, the author challenges the participants each week to think of others by doing things like inviting them to something, writing a little note, or helping them with chores.

Following my pity party, God challenged me to focus on others. So I've tried to do that. Each day, I’ve been praying God would put people in my path that need to be shown God’s love through acts of kindness and words of encouragement. In my free time, I’ve been brainstorming ways to reach out to neighbors or help friends. Suddenly, I'm not so focused on the answer I'm waiting on... I'm finding my joy again. I'm still waiting but I'm not doing it with a bad attitude anymore. I'm able to see God in other ways in my life as I serve others and I know I can trust in His timing.

If you’re in a time of waiting, or if you’re finding that you’re spending a little too much time thinking about yourself and your needs, I challenge you to reach out to others. What are some tangible things you can do for the people in your life to encourage them or help them?

Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Romans 12:10-13 NLT

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