We live in a fast-moving world. Everything must work fast. Struggling with connectivity? Maybe you should look for a better service provider. Need groceries delivered to your house? Try Sixty60 or ASAP.  We want things and we want them NOW. 

With all these fast solutions there are some things that can not be rushed. It doesn’t matter how often you pray and declare them. They just don’t happen overnight. As a follower of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I have battled with this concept of ‘waiting’. The waiting room as many refer to this time of waiting for God’s promises for one’s life. 

Ever gone through a dark season and everyone around you is having their breakthrough? You try to be positive and tell yourself that God is in the neighborhood, and He will surely see you through as well. Months pass, years go on and you are still waiting. Then one day you realize that you are living in that promise. All the time you spent in the waiting room is forgotten. It’s like it never happened. You have this great testimony of God’s faithfulness, and you are glowing from God’s glory, it is wonderful. 

Well, I want to talk about the before picture. 

The nights you feel like your prayers aren’t reaching God. You ask your mother to pray for you. You ask your spouse to stand on your behalf because you feel forgotten. Your local church is also standing with you. You start to lose sight of who God is in your life. You disqualify yourself. You don’t want to contribute to any conversation that speaks about God’s sovereignty and how He comes through for his people. You are all wrapped up in the now and you want Him to answer you NOW. I want it now and I can not wait another minute longer. 

Then the devil starts to whisper some lies. How could such a phenomenal God even begin to love such a broken person as yourself. How dare you even expect Him to hear your prayers when you haven’t apologized to that friend/colleague you wronged in 2015. 

Then in that moment you forget all that you have come to know about God and how in every season of your life He has remained the same. We don’t want to go through hard times. We don’t want to be pruned. We see people in their harvest season and immediately want to start reaping our own fruit when we haven’t even put in the time. You are probably saying ‘but I have been waiting on God for this one thing surely my time should come’ and I have no doubt He will. 

I think while we are in the waiting room, we need to take our eyes away from our own situations and look up. Who else is in here with me and how can I make this time less uncomfortable for them. How can I serve them? I know you may think that you don’t have the emotional or mental capacity to do anything but there’s some strength that comes when we stop doing in our own capacity. Those ‘Jesus take the wheel’ moments. When we don’t have the answers. When we don’t know what to do. That is when He steps in. 

If you feel forgotten, then maybe you need to start looking for smaller symbols and signs in your life. Look at the most obvious one, you are alive. One more 24 hours to have an impact and to change someone’s life. Another 24 hours for me to look outside and see how I can help make life a little better for someone else. 

We may be about the cute selfies, but we are called for more than that. We are called for community, and we start to experience God’s unconditional love and provision when we stop looking to ourselves. When we make things about others instead of ourselves. We are emptied to be filled again. As we give to our community (or whoever is near you) God will make sure that our hearts are never empty and that we never lack because we are taking care of His people. 

In your waiting season, allow God to teach you something different about yourself and your purpose. Be open to change and experience God’s presence in a way you’ve never done so before. Whenever I experience hard times, I always remind myself that seasons change and that gives me comfort because I know the sun will shine again for me. Right before you get to your ‘after picture’ don’t despise the time spent before and during the change. Those times are what will equip you for your next season.