The Waiting Place

I don’t love waiting. You probably don’t either. I’ve never heard someone say, “I really enjoy waiting! The longer, the better.” But waiting is something we do. A lot. We wait in lines at the grocery store and for the traffic light to turn green. We wait at the bus stop for the kids to come and in the lobby for our dentist appointment.

We must often wait for people, for answers, for the time to pass. We tend to wish away the moments between where we are and where we want to be, between what we have and what we want. We may rarely take advantage of the possibilities and potential of the waiting place.

Impatience and Irritation

I was excited to go to lunch with “Jill”— though we had never met. A common friend had introduced us via email because I wanted to learn more about a subject which Jill knew well. I looked forward to hearing her insights and gleaning from her experience. When Jill agreed to go to lunch with me, I arranged to meet at a restaurant near her home, although it was an hour’s drive from mine.

After waiting in the restaurant lobby for 15 minutes, I texted Jill to make sure she was still coming for lunch. She replied that she was on her way. I waited another 15 minutes until she finally arrived. I fretted—simply because I was waiting.

We had a nice lunch and a lovely discussion. Fretting was certainly not necessary. During this time in the waiting place I could have sent a couple of emails from my phone while waiting for Jill. Or I might have read an article or texted my mom.

 Gaps and Uncertainty

Erin Kramer Holmes, a professor in the School of Family Life at BYU, challenged us with a perspective for our impatience in a waiting place:

Gaps between our ideals and our real circumstances challenge us. When reality hits or when things don’t go as planned, we may struggle. Uncertainty can be painful. If uncertainty is inevitable and if it can be so challenging, what do we do about it?

It seems like most things that bring us into a waiting place are not in our control! I’d like to suggest some things we can do that are within our control.

You can gain more sense of control by using wait time positively. Be productive in the waiting place. The wait is going to end, and when it does, we’ll want to look back on that time and know that we used it well. Some waits are short; some last for years.

If you’re standing in a long line to buy that pair of crazy cute shoes because they are the last pair and they are 50% off, chat with the person waiting next to you. Read the scriptures while you wait for the doctor. Ask interesting questions while you wait for the chips and salsa to come to your table.

If the wait is more significant, volunteer at a school or with a civic group, work on a degree, take a class, learn something new, gather recipes, exercise, read, call friends, start a group, work in your garden— find something that allows you to be creative and productive in your waiting place.

God’s Love and His Goodness

During the October 2011 General Conference, J. Devn Cornish said, “Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that the things that are important to us become important to Him, just because He loves us.”

God is the giver of all good gifts. He wants us to be happy, and He is fully aware of the desires of our hearts. When He asks us to wait, the waiting is not a punishment or a sign of disapproval. It is a time of learning, growth, preparation, and grace. He is there with us in the waiting place.

During the gaps, keep trusting that “His grace is sufficient.” Keep praying about your righteous desires. Remember, reflect on, and talk about past blessings, miracles. and tender mercies. “Let gratitude for the past inspire you with trust for the future.” Believe that God is going to give the gift according to His knowledge and wisdom.

We don’t know what God knows, but we can trust that He is working and moving on our behalf. We may have the joy of being able to say, “I didn’t expect to discover the things that I found/ when He let my heart linger here on this unsteady ground.”

We are promised in Isaiah 40:31 that “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.”

“Stay the course and believe in the grace                                                              that is found in the waiting place.”

Link to song “The Waiting Place” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl6wErTzw-A&t=1s