"WAITING ROOM"

As I write this, my family feels like we are in a “waiting room."

My Dad’s medical scare from a few weeks ago still has NO known cause. Doctors have been baffled. Tests have led to more tests.  And now we’ve been told to “wait” again for more test results.

I’ve remembered all over again the past month or so that times of waiting are NOT FUN. 

Waiting times can be tense. They can make you crazy if you’re not careful.

Maybe you get impatient waiting for a result or a door to open or a phone call to arrive.

Maybe you get discouraged thinking you’re stuck where you are now and it will be that way forever.  

Maybe worry sets in and overwhelms you as you go over and over again in your mind the “what ifs.”

So, many of us are in these waiting rooms for whatever reason. 

And if you’re not in a waiting room, guaranteed one is not too far off.

Life seems full of these times of waiting.

Thankfully, God’s Word gives us some great insight for these times. God knew they would hit us and would be difficult for us. 

These verses have been encouraging me….

Psalm 27:14

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 33:20-21

We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.

Lamentations 3:24

“The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”

Isaiah 64:4

Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

So what can we do while we wait?

I believe there are many things we can do.  Some key things are:

PRAY (talk to God and let Him speak to you)

God sees us in our time of waiting.  He wants us to talk to Him and allow Him to speak to us. He’s with us. 

In these times of waiting, may we be in active communication with the One who has the peace, the comfort, the words we need to get us through.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:17

…pray continually         

James 5:13-15

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 55:6

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on Him while He is near.

1 Chronicles 28:9

…the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, He will be found by you

READ GOD’S WORD

We also can read God’s Word during times of waiting. He gives direction, encouragement. He’s “online.”  Sometimes we ask Google, or friends or family for what to do, before we ask God. God’s Word is living.

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

PRAISE/WORSHIP

We can give Him praise and worship while we wait.  This may not be easy. But it’s an incredible time to pause and reflect on who He is, what He’s done.

Sometimes we focus more on the situation we’re in than on our God- who is bigger than any situation. He is able to part seas, calm storms, heal the sick, open doors, close doors, rout advancing armies, give provision where there is none, give protection, give victory against impossible odds.  When we look at Him, we can’t help but praise and worship who He is. 

1 Chronicles 16:12

Remember the wonders He has done

Deuteronomy 6:12

…be careful that you do not forget the Lord

Deuteronomy 8: 2-5

Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.

Psalm 96:1-10

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.  Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples.

Psalm 95:6-7

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care.

BE WITH OTHERS (Stay in Community)

In the waiting rooms of life, we need to stay in or seek community. This is a tough one. Often when things aren’t working out the way we imagined, when we’re struggling in a difficult situation, we prefer to try to hide. We don’t want to burden others with what we’re going through.  But the Bible tells us we need to stick together. There’s strength in numbers.

We have an enemy as well that is seeking to “devour us.” To hit us when we’re down. Isolation is so dangerous. In our times of waiting, may we seek others who can sit with us there and help us pray. And may we be available for God to use us in others’ times of waiting too.

Hebrews 10:24-25

…let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching

1 Peter 5:7-9

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings

PREPARE

In these times of waiting, we can also prepare in faith for whatever is next.  

Galatians 6:9

Let us not become weary in doing good

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

1 Timothy 4: 7-8

…train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

Ecclesiastes 10:18

…because of idle hands, the house leaks

SERVE

We can also “serve” as we wait.  God can use you in incredible ways in these waiting times.  In our weakness, God is so strong. In our own brokenness and humility is often when God can most clearly be seen in us to others.  My Dad continues to be an incredible example of this to me.  He continues to serve at our church in Children’s Ministry- and he gives it his very best.

Ephesians 6:7

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord…

Matthew 20:26-28

whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

1 Peter 3:15

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…

A book I’m reading recently reminded me of an important truth. In “A Shelter in the Time of Storm” by Paul David Tripp, it said:  “waiting isn’t just about what you are hoping for at the end of the wait, but also about what you will become in the wait.”

We can be transformed WHILE we wait. Waiting is a pressure that God can use to deepen your faith, strengthen your trust in Him. You can come out stronger because you’ve passed through the waiting room.

Isaiah 64:8

You, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

2 Corinthians 3:18

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit

2 Corinthians 4:17

…our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

James 1:2-4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Times of waiting rooms can come unexpectedly.  Some last WAY longer than we ever thought they could. We stress about the unknown.

But God says, TRUST ME.  He is with us. We’re becoming who He wants us to be while we wait.

Exodus 14:14

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Philippians 4:6-7

 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 27:13-14

I am still condiment of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord: be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Isaiah 40:28-31

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

May we stay encouraged and lifting up our lives to God continually in our times of waiting. We can trust that He has us always!

ONWARD with You!

Prayer Requests

-Please continue to keep my Dad in prayer. He has test results that will be given the first week in November. During this time of waiting, my God give him peace and even joy that His life is securely in God’s hands.

-Please pray for family- that God will help us to encourage each other and enjoy this time together. We will celebrate my Mom’s birthday on October 27^th, then my sister ‘s birthday (and mine, ha ha) on October 29^th- that we can enjoy those days as we reflect on all God has done.

-Please pray for my way ahead. After much prayer, I have decided to take the semester off from teaching in Ethiopia. During the next few months, please pray that I can give good support to my family while also trying to finish my book.  Also that if a return to Ethiopia in January of 2014 is still God’s plan for me, - that He will provide and make the way clear. 

-Please pray that as I meet with supporters, etc., that God will give me opportunities to testify to individuals, families, groups, churches, for I want to give God so much praise.  If I can speak to any church, group, etc, that you know of, please email me, I’d be honored.

-Please pray for my book- as I work hard to finish the draft- that God will help it come together.

-A big praise for YWAM (Youth with a Mission-Virginia) and the 26 of us who were certified as personal trainers a few weeks ago. That God will use this training to make His name great. And that those in this group continuing in a six month mission training school- will be unified and blessed as they move forward. They will in Brazil for three months soon using fitness as ministry in the time ahead. What a group!

-Please pray for the staff and students at the college I work for in Ethiopia- that God will give them a great semester. Also for my neighbors there – that God will give provision and joy.

-Please pray for the Global Missions Health Conference in Louisville, KY that I plan to attend in November- for the speakers and workshops and those attending- that connections will be made for kingdom expansion. I hope to connect with many of my Louisville friends while in the city and may God bless that time.

-Please pray for many serving God globally- that God will protect, encourage.

And for ALL of those in times of “waiting,” that God will encourage and strengthen!

Thank you so much for your faithful partnership in all!