A Season of Waiting

A we’re hiring post caught my attention as I scrolled through Instagram. I read the post and clicked on the link in the company’s bio. My interest was piqued, and I felt a pang in my heart as I explored it more.

It sounded perfect. It sounded like something I would love, and it was something I desperately wanted to jump into. I thought about my resume that had been sitting in a file on my computer for years. It needed a bit of work to update, but I had no doubt that I could get it polished and ready to send in a short amount of time.

Even though I desperately wanted to jump up and down and shout that I was interested in the position, I knew that I couldn’t. I was already working two part-time jobs from home while raising two kids who weren’t in school yet.

I couldn’t swing a full-time position, or even another part-time position—there weren’t enough hours in the day. I tried to think of any way possible to make something work.

But it wasn’t time yet.

A SEASON OF WAITING

It wasn’t time to fully throw myself back into a career, but oh, how I desperately wanted to apply. It hurt to watch that opportunity slip by, and made me frustrated for the season I was in.

I wanted to fast forward the moment so I could jump to the next thing. I wanted it to be a transition that could easily be made. The bottom line: I wanted that position.

It’s so easy to want to fast forward through different parts of life to get to something we’ve longed for, and become discontent with our situation desiring for it to be different.

Too often we want to wish it all away, because we think we’re missing out on something else─something better. Sometimes it feels like the rest of the world is passing us by while we’re not getting anywhere.

Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever been discouraged during a season of waiting? You feel stuck, like you’re never going to be able to move forward. You feel that your current reality will be your reality forever, and so you overlook the purpose of your current circumstance.

It’s hard, but there’s a purpose in the waiting. God can still use us in those moments, even though it feels like we’re not where we belong yet.

When we want to skip where we are, we lose sight of all the ways God can and will use us. Even in the waiting, there’s so much purpose. Even in the waiting, there can be so much joy. We just have to slow ourselves down and look for it. We have to turn our attention to God.

A DESIRE FOR INSTANT GRATIFICATION

I have come across a handful of job listings in the last few years that have tugged at my heart. My mind wanders to what it would be like to be back in the workforce. It wanders to something other than dealing with bickering at home and always cleaning up someone’s mess.

It wanders to all these things that feel so far from my grasp, but that’s just my discontent heart crying out. It’s a reminder that I need to slow down and be thankful for my current situation. It’s a reminder that I’m exactly where I need to be right now.

Even when we know we need to wait on something, waiting is hard. Too often, we get frustrated with the waiting and just decide to move ahead on our own. We want what we want when we want it. We’re like a child who binges on candy before supper and then isn’t hungry for the food that will actually give nourishment.

We want instant satisfaction. We jump into things before we’re ready—before God says it’s time to go. We don’t want to wait, so we make our own path, but that often leads to destruction. We fill our time with things that aren’t the best things God wants for us yet. We allow ourselves to settle for something because it’s what we see in the present moment instead of holding onto hope for what is to come.

We jump into something we’re not ready for because we’re tired of waiting.

But when we turn to God, He strengthens us in our waiting.

He is still good.

Instead of trying to rush through the seasons of our life, let’s seek God in each of them, because He has a purpose for each of them. He has a plan in the midst of our waiting.

A PRAYER WHILE WAITING

Lord, waiting is hard. There are times it feels like the rest of the world is passing us by. It seems like people around us are getting the desires of their hearts while we don’t see any good coming. But, Lord, You have a purpose and a plan in this moment. You can use the waiting for so many great things. We ask that we surrender our desires to You. Help us to know when we are to move to action and when we are to wait on You. We need Your wisdom to discern which path is best.

We need patience and self-control to make choices that best honor You. Thank You for being everything we need. Help us turn to You instead of the things of this world. Help us to be content in whatever situation and season we’re in right now. Thank You for being with us in the seasons of waiting. You haven’t turned away from us. You hear the cry of our hearts, and we ask that You align our desires with Your will that we would continue to do the work that pleases You and brings glory to Your name. Thank you for all Your blessings. In Jesus’ name, amen.