God’s Word
Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
My Thoughts
My sons discovered what it is like to be in the waiting room of a hospital at a very young age. The two younger ones were only five and seven when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and my first frightening hospital stay occurred a brief three months after that diagnosis. In all, I have been hospitalized six times in just as many years. So when Pastor Darius Johnston asked the congregation to think about what it is like in hospital waiting rooms, my youngest decided to answer him out loud with his opinion of “It Stinks!”. Yes, this is one eleven year-old who knows what he’s talking about.
Pastor Johnston went on to use hospital waiting rooms as an analogy for the trials in our lives and he named those rough times “God’s waiting room”. How accurate that description is! As my son was trying to convey, waiting rooms are a difficult place to be. The chairs are uncomfortable, the coffee tastes terrible, people are anxious, sad and irritable, no one can tell you how long you will be there or what the outcome will be-it really stinks! Our trials are just as unpleasant.
As the months turn to years, we wonder why God has “put us” in this struggle.. We ask what we’ve done wrong and we desperately want to know how long we will have to endure the pain and uncertainty.
But as I thought about the sermon later, I began to realize there can be good found in those waiting rooms. As I’ve waited for the outcome of a parent’s surgery, my husband and siblings have been there with me. A pastor usually has been beside us throughout the waiting. We’ve talked, reminisced, joined together in prayer and rejoiced when the doctor returned with good news. When the wait was over, we would go see our loved one and smile with them with gratitude that all was well.
Yes, the waiting rooms of life are really uncomfortable to be in but as the song says, “You are in the waiting, in that moment of my life when my faith and hope collide. While my heart’s anticipating how and when you’ll move, oh, that’s when you prove you are in the waiting.” As we wait for the answer to our questions of why me?, why now?, why this?, God is beside us and he will “give (us) water in the desert”, he will “lift (us) up on eagles’ wings, so from way up high (we) can see (our) life from (His) view of things.”
Oh, to be able to see God’s view of things! We would not fear, we would not despair if we could see through His eyes. But isn’t that what He wants us to do? Doesn’t He tell us to “not fear”. He wants us to know that our waiting room has a God given purpose. God is “breaking up (our) fallow ground” and He will “plant (His) seed ‘til it’s living in (us).” We need to ask him to “make me all you want me to be. Unveil my eyes if I’ve exchanged the truth for lies; give me faith so I can see.”
Yes, trials truly stink. Suffering and pain are difficult to endure but if we will just remember that God is waiting with us and He knows the answers to our questions and He knows what the outcome will be then the waiting can be endured. Just as friends and family surround us when we are in hospital waiting rooms, God’s presence surrounds us in the waiting rooms of life. He promises as we wait we WILL have renewed strength, wings of eagles and be able to run without being tired and walk without passing out. Keep waiting on Him my friend, soon you’ll be soaring!
Your Response
Just sit quietly before the Lord for a few moments. Tell Him you are waiting to hear from Him. Anticipate what He will do in and through you.
The Song
“In The Waiting” words and music by Shannon Wexelberg. I am sorry, I could not find this song to play for you anywhere but here are the lyrics:
I’ve tried to be strong
Is there something I’ve done wrong?
‘Cause I’ve been waiting here so long.
You see each tear
As the months have turned to years.
For some reason You must want me here.
But I can see You’re breaking up my fallow ground
In this season of such barrenness,
Lord, I have found
(REFRAIN)
You are in the waiting
In that moment of my life
When my faith and hope collide.
While my heart’s anticipating
Just how and when You’ll move
That’s when you prove
You are in the waiting, too.
So plant Your seed
Till it’s living, Lord, in me.
Make me all You want me to be.
Unveil my eyes
If I’ve exchanged the truth for lies.
Give me faith so I can see
The work that you began
You will complete in me.
And I don’t have to understand the place You’re keeping me.
(BRIDGE)
You give me water in the desert.
You lift me up on eagles’ wings.
And from way up high
I can see my life
From Your view of things.
And though I’ve cried for an answer
I believe that I can say:
“Thank You, Lord, for every answer
You’ve delayed.”
(REFRAIN)
Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
My Thoughts
My sons discovered what it is like to be in the waiting room of a hospital at a very young age. The two younger ones were only five and seven when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and my first frightening hospital stay occurred a brief three months after that diagnosis. In all, I have been hospitalized six times in just as many years. So when Pastor Darius Johnston asked the congregation to think about what it is like in hospital waiting rooms, my youngest decided to answer him out loud with his opinion of “It Stinks!”. Yes, this is one eleven year-old who knows what he’s talking about.
Pastor Johnston went on to use hospital waiting rooms as an analogy for the trials in our lives and he named those rough times “God’s waiting room”. How accurate that description is! As my son was trying to convey, waiting rooms are a difficult place to be. The chairs are uncomfortable, the coffee tastes terrible, people are anxious, sad and irritable, no one can tell you how long you will be there or what the outcome will be-it really stinks! Our trials are just as unpleasant.
As the months turn to years, we wonder why God has “put us” in this struggle.. We ask what we’ve done wrong and we desperately want to know how long we will have to endure the pain and uncertainty.
But as I thought about the sermon later, I began to realize there can be good found in those waiting rooms. As I’ve waited for the outcome of a parent’s surgery, my husband and siblings have been there with me. A pastor usually has been beside us throughout the waiting. We’ve talked, reminisced, joined together in prayer and rejoiced when the doctor returned with good news. When the wait was over, we would go see our loved one and smile with them with gratitude that all was well.
Yes, the waiting rooms of life are really uncomfortable to be in but as the song says, “You are in the waiting, in that moment of my life when my faith and hope collide. While my heart’s anticipating how and when you’ll move, oh, that’s when you prove you are in the waiting.” As we wait for the answer to our questions of why me?, why now?, why this?, God is beside us and he will “give (us) water in the desert”, he will “lift (us) up on eagles’ wings, so from way up high (we) can see (our) life from (His) view of things.”
Oh, to be able to see God’s view of things! We would not fear, we would not despair if we could see through His eyes. But isn’t that what He wants us to do? Doesn’t He tell us to “not fear”. He wants us to know that our waiting room has a God given purpose. God is “breaking up (our) fallow ground” and He will “plant (His) seed ‘til it’s living in (us).” We need to ask him to “make me all you want me to be. Unveil my eyes if I’ve exchanged the truth for lies; give me faith so I can see.”
Yes, trials truly stink. Suffering and pain are difficult to endure but if we will just remember that God is waiting with us and He knows the answers to our questions and He knows what the outcome will be then the waiting can be endured. Just as friends and family surround us when we are in hospital waiting rooms, God’s presence surrounds us in the waiting rooms of life. He promises as we wait we WILL have renewed strength, wings of eagles and be able to run without being tired and walk without passing out. Keep waiting on Him my friend, soon you’ll be soaring!
Your Response
Just sit quietly before the Lord for a few moments. Tell Him you are waiting to hear from Him. Anticipate what He will do in and through you.
The Song
“In The Waiting” words and music by Shannon Wexelberg. I am sorry, I could not find this song to play for you anywhere but here are the lyrics:
I’ve tried to be strong
Is there something I’ve done wrong?
‘Cause I’ve been waiting here so long.
You see each tear
As the months have turned to years.
For some reason You must want me here.
But I can see You’re breaking up my fallow ground
In this season of such barrenness,
Lord, I have found
(REFRAIN)
You are in the waiting
In that moment of my life
When my faith and hope collide.
While my heart’s anticipating
Just how and when You’ll move
That’s when you prove
You are in the waiting, too.
So plant Your seed
Till it’s living, Lord, in me.
Make me all You want me to be.
Unveil my eyes
If I’ve exchanged the truth for lies.
Give me faith so I can see
The work that you began
You will complete in me.
And I don’t have to understand the place You’re keeping me.
(BRIDGE)
You give me water in the desert.
You lift me up on eagles’ wings.
And from way up high
I can see my life
From Your view of things.
And though I’ve cried for an answer
I believe that I can say:
“Thank You, Lord, for every answer
You’ve delayed.”
(REFRAIN)
Awesome Belinda. Haven't been hear yet. Thank you for sharing and honoring Father God in this. You will be blessed!!!!! Love you, Sabrina Carter
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