What Are You Waiting For?

Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Not too long ago, I was having one of those lively conversations with Clara (5) that punctuate my days with laughter and smiles. This particular day Clara was informing me of her and Rynnie's (3) future career plans. After much discussion they had concluded they would be jointly employed by Chick-fil-a where they would be compensated in ice cream and trips to the indoor playground. After seventeen years of schooling, I pray her needs are that easily satisfied but something tells me she won't find Chick-fil-a worth the wait.

This morning I am reading Galatians 1. Paul is determined to convince the church at Galatia that the gospel he taught them was sound and correct. In the midst of his compelling argument, he mentions that after Jesus appeared to him (Acts 9:3-9), he spent three years in Arabia studying the gospel in obscurity.

Patience is something I continue to learn as I walk with and learn to wait on God. If I had a life-altering encounter with the risen Christ, I would immediately want to jump on Facebook and tell five hundred of my closest friends. Paul had to wait. We don't know exactly what happened in those three years. We do know that Jesus had spent his three years of public ministry with the other apostles. Perhaps, he wanted Paul to have the same amount of time to develop and grow.

I don't pleasure in waiting. I haven't had a face-to-face encounter with God, yet when I feel His gentle tug at my heart, I want to spring to action. Sometimes His plan for me is just that. Other times, His plan unfolds at a pace reminiscent of the tortoise rather than the hare. Regardless, this day is valuable. This day is a gift from God. He has lessons to teach me and character to change in me. Transformation happens one sweet day at a time.

Paul came out of the desert of Arabia a changed man. The question is will I? While I wait on God, will I squander my days or treasure them as precious gifts of time and transformation?

Jesus, Your timing is worth the wait. Help me redeem my days with steady consistent time with You. As I emerge from each season of waiting, may the woman who walks out look perceptibly more like You.