God’s Waiting Room

I hate waiting.

Don’t we all?

In my time as an ER nurse I’ve spent thousands of hours amid the languishing throngs of the waiting room. There are few places quite as miserable as an ER waiting room. On busy nights the wait times stretch to hours as people pack together with their misery.

Moaning, bleeding, puking, cursing misery.

All around the silent (and not so silent) question presses – when is it my turn? When will my waiting be over?

There are few things that try the human spirit like waiting.

And yet… waiting seems to be a favored chisel in the hands of the Creator. Over and over in the biblical stories you find God making someone a promise – giving them a vision and a calling and then…! and then waiting. Years and years… and years… of waiting.

Abraham waiting for the promised son, Joseph waiting (in slavery and prison) to be made a ruler, David waiting (and running for his life) to become king, Israel waiting for the Messiah, Mary and Martha waiting on Jesus while their brother dies, the church waiting for Jesus to come back… waiting…. waiting…

Time moves differently for the medical staff in the ER than it does for the patients. We are in a constant state of working, doing, pressing – hours melting by that feel like eons to those waiting. And time clearly moves differently for God. As Peter says, ‘To the Lord a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day.’

It would seem there is something necessary and valuable – maybe even vital – about the process of waiting. It forces us to face the ultimate question the Divine asks of us – “Do you trust Me?”

Waiting tests our faith like nothing else will. Waiting shows what we’re made of like nothing else can. It’s a crucible that melts and exposes and prepares us – for whatever fulfillment lies at long last at the end of our waiting.

So if you find yourself in a prolonged season in God’s waiting room, know you’re in good company. And consider that perhaps this time is more important in your formation that you realize.