Many answers are found in the steps of waiting

Wednesday Word

The lady at the counter explained that there wasn’t another stove to replace the one that had arrived damaged, so she’d have to start over picking out her suite of appliances.

​For the second time, she picked out another stove, dishwasher, and over-the-stove microwave only to be told that there was an eight-week wait. “Would you mind waiting; I want to check with the manager about something?” the sales rep asked. Well, yeah, but what does it matter, she thought to herself.

Thanks for joining us for Wednesday’s Word with Kim-Evinda and Trench Classes United. How many times are we asked to wait for one thing or another? Life’s answers for many lessons are found in the waiting.
She stepped aside and as she stood there, she realized that she could struggle and strive in the waiting, or she could lean in, look and/or learn while waiting. She wasn’t new to this concept of waiting and yet, she couldn’t help but think she was missing something truly meaningful about it because she just wasn’t getting any better at it.

Her thoughts traveled to almost three years ago when her life had taken a drastic turn towards a life-changing tragedy. She had been reading a book whose author had been going thru the same type of tragedy and had endured for three years the pain, suffering and uncertainty as God worked in and through it.

Her words haunted her with a sense of shame: “I WILL NOT GO THRU THIS FOR THREE YEARS, GOD! Don’t ask me to wait that long. I can’t; I just can’t.”
And here she was, 33 months later…waiting for the promises that God had made her, confused in the waiting instead of being infused with the assurance that only comes by leaning into Him completely allowing Him to carry her and be her ONE true source, surrendering her right to understand.

Suddenly a light went on inside her soul; there were steps in the waiting:

1. Waiting requires surrendering our right to understand it all
2. Surrendering will enable us to lean into Him
3. Leaning into Him will increase our trust in Him and help us to take Him at His word – we cannot experience the presence of God without experiencing the peace of God
4. And finally, when we experience His presence, this enables us to stop looking left or right, and change our focus from the waiting to the One who carries us thru the waiting.

Psalm 27:14 tells us to wait on the Lord and He will strengthen our hearts.
Psalms 37:7 says to rest in the Lord…wow, have you ever thought of waiting as resting?
Habakkuk 2:3 says: For the vision [is] yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Oh that I wouldn’t be found off course so as to miss it!

Her thoughts were interrupted as the sales rep reappeared with the manager. The manager shook my hand as he introduced himself. He apologized for the inconvenience and informed me that there was a $700 discount for my waiting!

Yes, friends, God will do as He promises in His time, but oftentimes there’s a period of waiting that has so much for us.

Thoughtfully,
Kim-Evinda