I'm waiting...

Everyone’s lived through times of waiting. Maybe it’s unemployment, waiting for the right job to become available. Maybe it’s singleness, waiting for Mr. Right or Mrs. Right to come along. Maybe it’s an illness, waiting to finally be cured. Maybe it’s trying to have a baby, waiting with anticipation to become a parent. Life would be so much better if we could just get to that place we desire: employed, married, well, a parent etc. The question is, what are we supposed to do while we’re waiting for that thing we so desperately desire? 

I’m currently in my own period of waiting. I am raising financial support for my ministry with Student Venture. I am waiting to be fully funded so I can move to Indianapolis, Indiana and begin serving high school students by telling them about the love of Jesus Christ and how they can have personal relationship with Him. 
 
I’ve been struggling with figuring out how to live here, in Pennsylvania, while looking forward to moving to Indiana and beginning my “new life” there. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy living in PA, but I know my passion is to be in Indy, telling high school students how much Jesus loves them. But if I focus too much on my life in Indy, I will be forgetting to live my life today. God has a plan and a purpose for my life in PA right up until the day He sends me to Indy. Just like He has a plan and a purpose for the life of someone unemployed, or single, or sick, or whatever waiting period He has them in. 

That purpose may have several different layers to it, but I think the main purpose is trust. Can we trust the Lord when life doesn’t make sense? Can we trust the Lord that His timing is best for our lives even when we desire something else right now? Can we trust that although we may not understand what is going on, that the God of the universe can see so much more than we can? Can we trust that even if His purpose is that we never receive the thing we desire in the way of our choosing, that maybe He has something better in store for us that we can’t even imagine right now? Can we trust that what we are going through is bigger than us?

Psalm 37:3-7 states:

“Trust in the Lord, and do good.

dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 

Delight yourself in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord,

trust in him, and he will act.

He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,

and your justice as the noonday sun.

Be still before the Lord and wait

patiently for him.”

One thing we can lean on is the goodness, faithfulness, kindness and love of Jesus Christ. He would never do something that isn’t good, or He wouldn’t be Jesus Christ. He has a plan for our time of waiting. If we focus too much on what’s to come, we will miss out on the blessings He has for us today. I have definitely found myself focused on life in Indy and waiting to move for life to "begin." So I think it's time for a change, time to live my life for today. Here. Right now. I want to see what God has in store for me in PA. I don't want to go another day without receiving all the blessings He has planned for me. I want to glorify Jesus even in times when I’m not where I necessarily want to be at this moment. 

Jeremiah 29:11 is a great comfort in times of unknown and uncertainty: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I have also found incredible encouragement and conviction in the worship song, “While I’m Waiting,” by John Waller. The lyrics remind me that no matter what time of life I’m in, I should always be worshipping the Lord. 

I’m waiting

I’m waiting on You, Lord

And I am hopeful

I’m waiting on You, Lord

Though it is painful

But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident

Taking every step in obedience

While I’m waiting

I will serve you

While I’m waiting

I will worship

While I’m waiting

I will not faint

I’ll be running the race

Even while I wait.