Winding down our week of celebrating…one more to go! Hope in the Healing has had a great year and one of the posts that readers loved the most was this one, The Waiting Room. Why? Because we have ALL been there. Blessings!
Waiting…Waiting…Waiting. You despise to wait. You are in the office. You made it to the appointment on time. You left work on time. You even fought traffic, battled for the last parking space in the lot and ran up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. But you made it.
Now you wait.
Why can’t they be on time? Have you ever wanted to send them a bill? Have you seen the sign in some professional offices now?
If you are more than 15 minutes late you will be billed for a missed appointment.
But yes, let us be fair, they have delays too. They have patients or customers that are late that put the next patient or customer late…and so on, and so on…
Even though our natural response to waiting is like nails on a chalkboard, it can actually be a time of growth if we let it.
“I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’” Lamentations 3:24 NIV.
Think of all the patriarchs in the Bible who went through extreme waiting periods in their life!
Abraham and Sarah – Waiting 25 years for a child.
Moses waited as a shepherd for 40 years before the Lord called him to lead the people of Israel. (Then he wandered another 40 years in the wilderness if we want to count that!)
Joseph waited 13 years as a prisoner, abandoned by his brothers, sold as a slave and then finally reunited in his role as one of the leaders of Egypt.
“We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.” Psalm 33:20 NIV.
In the Waiting Room we are listening for our name to be called. We learn to recognize His voice. We are quiet, we are sensitive, prayerful, so as not to miss Him. We want to surround ourselves with others who are like-minded so that we are not confused or disoriented as we wait.
What are we looking at in the Waiting Room? What are we filling our minds with while we wait? Is it pleasing to God?
What are we “feeding” on?
What kind of impression are we giving out to others in the Waiting Room? Are we Christ-like as we wait? Or are we grumpy, irritable, impatient, letting our feelings be known? “Well, He is not on time and we are NOT happy about it!” “He has not answered, not called our name, where is He?”
“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:4,5.
Do we realize others see us in our period of waiting? That we are an example of Christ and no matter if it is a small matter or something of great importance, our reaction to the Waiting Room will have an impact on others? Especially on those that are not in relationship with the Savior.
Finally! Our name is called! The answer has come, He has sent someone for us, and it is our turn. What is our reaction in the Waiting Room? Is it one of “Well, it’s about time!” Or is it one of gratitude and praise, thankfulness for prayer that was answered?
Are we short and abrupt, just glad that it is over or are we truly appreciative and acknowledging the Lord, realizing that the outcome is the result of His hand on our lives? It does matter you know, people are watching. And more importantly, the Savior cares.
If you are in a Waiting Room season here are some things you can do:
Don’t stop praying! Ask others to join you in prayer for your situation.
“Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” Ephesians 3:20.
Make sure you are praying God’s will, not YOUR will.
Keep busy by ministering to others!
This is the best way to give back and focus your heart on serving.
“So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:12 NLT.
Don’t allow yourself to become discouraged.
Remember God’s timing is not ours!
It may seem like He is never going to answer but He will! And His will for your life is always the best design. Give it time and rest in His plan.
“Look among the nations and watch—Be utterly astounded!
For I will work a work in your days
Which you would not believe, though it were told you.” Habakkuk 1:5 NKJV
Sharing with Walking Redeemed, Word Filled Wednesday, Winsome Wednesday, Wedded Wednesday, Homemaking Linkup, Wholehearted Home, Homemaking Linkup, Thriving Thursday, Time Travel Thursday, Proverbs 31 Thursday, Thankful Thursday
You are so welcome!! Praying for you! ♥
Thank YOU Jenifer! Blessings to you!
So true, it would be a tragedy to spend all of that time in the waiting room and then miss the experience and the point! Thank you so much. Blessings to you!
Stopping in from Messy Marriage and just love this. Our pastor talks so much about the Waiting Room. I’ve spent a good bit of time here, like many. It is so important to pray God’s will so you are not left in anger and frustration. Otherwise you miss the experience and the point, I believe.
I love how you put this.
Thanks for linking up with Woman to Woman’s Word Filled Wednesday. God bless!
Yes, Nannette, this is something God is continually teaching in this season where I am waiting for a “hope deferred.” Thanks for your godly and positive wisdom. It was just the shot of inspiration I needed today, my friend!
That’s the perk of A to Z –anything goes and you can use it as you want to. Most of us, throughout the course of the alphabet, have posted everything from funny to quirky to thoughtful to devotional to a simple picture… as long as it ties in with the week’s letter it’s GOOD. I usually find myself getting the full range of emotions with the A to Z meme and it always amazes me how God works it all together and ties it in to where I am that week. Just like your post here. It was wonderful.
Hello Karla! God’s blessings to you friend! I am glad you found me too! Please make yourself at home here. I know no stranger…I love input from everyone! If you have any ideas for posts or anything you would like me to tackle or questions, etc. I would be happy to do so. You can always contact me at ynannette@gmail.com. Blessings for a Happy New Year!
Thank you Nancy for stopping by…I didn’t quite catch on to AtoZb but I am thankful it was a blessing. I agree the last month has been hectic! Our God is always there, even in the waiting. I wish you a Happy New Year and look forward to getting to know you. Blessings!
To you as well Joanne, I have so enjoyed reading your articles the last few months. They have been a blessing! Happy New Year!
Thank you Patty for your kind comments. His timing is best. You are so right, I am glad the timing was right for you! I didn’t think it was in the right “spirit” for AtoZ after I read some of the others, it was my first time! I enjoyed it all so much and of course I am joining quite late 😉 Blessings for a Happy New Year!
Thank you Barbara, I haven’t quite caught on to how AtoZ works but I am enjoying it 🙂 Thank you for your comments! Blessings to you for a Happy New Year!
So glad to find you!!! Lovely post. I’m going to read your site now. Looks scrumptious!
After rushing like crazy through the past 3 or 4 weeks, you offer a great reminder to be patient, especially when things are out of our control. Thank you for a beautifully written post 🙂 God Bless.
What a wonderful, needed, blessing of a post. Waiting is tough, but with Christ, we can do it. Thanks!
I’ve been in a holding pattern for a couple years now. Feels like endless circling around the landing strip and each year, each week between Christmas and New Year’s God sends me to that Scripture and others like it. Each year I decide not to fly off although it’d be easier if I did. God’s timing is best and there’s sooooo much to learn in this waiting time…if only we’ll open our hearts and minds to it.
Amazing how I’ve been mulling all this over (again!) and come here and find this. Orchestrated by God. I love it. 🙂 Thanks for the encouragement.
First of all, welcome to AtoZ! Your words are very thought provoking. I’ve known about the waiting room concept, but never considered how others are watching me as I wait. Scary thought.
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Good grief! I didn’t include in my post, but thought about it, recently waiting two hours for a doctor…I was exhausted. Only reason I stayed was the nurse kept coming in saying, “Ten more minutes, I promise…” When I finally gave up and opened the door to walk out, he was walking in. I was nearly in tears because I was in so much pain. I didn’t have any pain pills, had sat in those hard chairs, or paced, for two hours, and have SI joint disease…I was in agony. But I was kind and he was apologetic…he was fortunate he didn’t get your patient! 🙂 Thank you for stopping by Sandra! Can’t wait to see what we write next week!
Kind of freaky that we both wrote about the same topic in the same week.
This reminded me of the time I was working in an OB/GYN office. The doctor got stuck in the delivery room. I tried to call the afternoon patients to reschedule, but the one right after lunch had already left home. (No cell phones back then.) I offered her the option of waiting or rescheduling, but she was so mad when she arrived that she threw the door wide when she stomped out. The handle put a big hole in the drywall.
Bless your heart, the Lord always knows…when I think it’s just for me…He always knows. So glad it helped you sweet friend. I think of you so often, every time I pray for another dear daughter. Much love.
Oh goodness! Thank you so much, Nannette! You know I needed to read this, thank you.
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Thank you Sue, share away! I fell in love with your site, you make others feel so “at home”. Even though I think I was the only post that wasn’t a recipe or a self-help tip I braved on and prayed it was for somebody 🙂 and I read so many others yesterday and today (and even joined a few) that my eyes were starting to cross! Thank you for taking the time to comment, it is a blessing to me.♥
Bless you! I know so many I’d like to share this with!! Thanks for sharen with us at One Sharendipity Place this weekend!
Sue @ thet2women.com
Thank you Linda….always striving! So glad you stopped by. Loved your comments friend.
What a fine post! You have shared such a familiar scene where angst can get the better of me too. The beautiful Scriptures and examples though have given me food to ponder and, hopefully, grow more and more like the Christ that I want to show to others in the waiting room.
I thank you so.
Caring through Christ, ~ linda