What are you waiting for? Seriously, take a breath and ask yourself that question. Not in a “What are you waiting for? Get moving!” kind of way. Instead ask “What is your heart’s desire?”
Waiting is part of the human condition. As children we wait to grow up, thinking we can do whatever we want as much as we want as adults. (One of my childhood waits was going to be making chocolate chip cookie dough and then eating the whole bowl without cooking it!) As teens we wait to be able to drive, to stay out late, to go where we want without questions. As adults, we anticipate finding our spouse, having children or landing the perfect job. We wait for people to call, to do what we want, or acquire what we think we need. We wait for test results, for pain to go away, for our loved one’s final breath. As seniors, we wait- wondering how we will age and who will go first. And we all will wait for grief to pass. So much waiting, both good and hard.
We also wait for God. We wait for prayers to be answered. For me, this has been difficult and at times has led me deep into the wilderness. How can this good thing not happen?! At times I have felt that God doesn’t hear me, doesn’t see me, doesn’t care. What I need to constantly remind myself is that God loved me enough to give up the splendor of heaven and come to earth to live and die on my behalf.
Waiting is NOT doing nothing. It is learning to flex my trust muscle. I need to keep in mind that He is doing a work in me, even as He is acting in ways I can’t see. In the end, our prayers are often more about us than about the subject of our prayers. Christ is doing a work in me. Nothing surrendered in patience is wasted.
The Bible is full of people who had to wait: Abraham (waiting for a son even as he was promised descendants as vast as the stars), Hannah (waiting for a child), Anna and Simeon (waiting for the birth of Christ), Mary (knew her Son was from the Lord but had to wait to make sense of it), 12 disciples (waiting to understand). I think waiting is the hardest form of obedience.
I bring up waiting because we are almost to the final week of Advent season. Advent, a Latin word meaning coming or arrival is a season of preparation and of waiting. We are waiting with anticipation to celebrate the coming of our Savior. Advent is much more than the Advent calendars with chocolates or little gifts that countdown to Christmas. It is the reminder of expectant waiting for the birth of the savior back then and now looking forward to King Jesus’ second coming. It is a heart cry of those living in darkness looking forward to the great light.
According to Dietrich Bonhoeffer: "The celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something greater to come."
This Advent, I celebrate the act of waiting and commit to waiting well. I pledge to honor with anticipation the long-awaited answers but more importantly to wait for our Messiah. I want to celebrate his birth, the light in the darkness and I want to look expectantly to his final return! In Him, we have hope. In Him is the answer.
Not to oversimplify, but Jesus—Immanuel, God with us—is the hope and the solution.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.Isaiah 9:6
When we are wondering which way to go, what to do, what to say, He is the Wonderful Counselor.
If we are dealing with broken relationships, unanswered prayers, disappointments, heartache, and pain, He is the Prince of Peace.
As we deal with the temporary nature of our lives and the grief of death, He is Everlasting Father.
If we are longing for transformation, new beginnings, and sanctification, He is Mighty God.
To quote the old adage: Whatever is worth having is worth waiting for.
Come, Lord Jesus, Come.
ABOUT THE BLOGGER:
Bonnie Kotler and her husband Mitch have two daughters, three sons, eleven grandchildren and three grand-puppies. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years before re-entering the workforce after receiving her M.S. in Counseling and Human Relations from Villanova University. She is a licensed professional counselor at her own private practice, True North Counseling. Bonnie has been on the Willowdale women’s ministry teaching team since 2012. Bible studies have played a key role in her walk as a believer, and in turn, she loves to help other women find their peace with God and grow in their faith. She enjoys writing Bible study materials, reading fiction, spending time with family and doing anything in the sunshine. Bonnie loves to laugh and considers laughter as the best medicine. Psalm 126:2
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