Waiting is a fact of life.  It begins with a baby waiting to be fed, a child waiting for Christmas morning, an adult waiting for difficulties to pass and a whole bunch of waiting in between!

We wait at the doctor’s office, we wait for a phone call, we wait for the check in the mail and we wait in the check-out line at the grocery store.  Waiting for something never seems to cease.

For example, a dear girlfriend waited for seven years for her husband to get a job in a different city so they could get their family out of a town that was filled with hateful people who didn’t like outsiders.

One more friend waited for five years to finally have the successful birth of a healthy baby boy.

Still another sister in Christ waited for a child that never came.

Clearly, there’s a ton of waiting going on from birth to death, both simple and difficult, with some rewarded with joy and others with sorrow.  And most of us have a little of every kind of waiting situation along the road of life.

Hence, what are we doing in the midst of all this WAITING?  Are we making the best of each day in spite of our unfulfilled hopes?  Are we growing, learning, maturing and strengthening our spirit in the meantime?

OR…are we grumbling, all the while kicking and screaming?

• “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. Numbers 14:27

Ouch.

The Israelites are a prime example of people who are called to wait patiently on God to lead them home.  Even though they were promised an awesome future, they grumbled against God because it wasn’t happening fast enough for them.

Every time the Israelites met with opposition they seemed to catch the first train to GrumbleTown.  Unfortunately, they quickly forgot that God wanted to lead them to paradise.

Instead of waiting patiently for God’s wondrous gifts and guidance, they grumbled and sinned.

These stubborn, sinful and grumbling Israelites are not alone.  Often we do the exact same thing. (Alas, I can replace the word ‘Israelites’ with my own name in the above paragraphs.)  YIKES!

So, why are we supposed to wait on the Lord?

• When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. Psalm 104:28

Good things truly DO come to those who wait.

The key is to keep our hope in Jesus Christ during the waiting and to live as He lived so that we may be molded into the people God wants us to become.

• It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? Hebrews 12:7

Selfishly, we want what we want when we want it.  God wants SO MUCH MORE for us.  However, we have to wait on Him and receive it in His timing.

Easier said than done.

In the meantime, we can love God and love others while we patiently waiting for God to provide.

Some Wisdom for Today:  Proverbs 16:32 – Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.