The Waiting is the Hardest Part

I loved pulling my own teeth. When I was a kid, I wiggled every tooth that was loose until it came out, usually on the same day. Come to think of it, I've never liked waiting. I had Jessica's engagement ring for 6 hours before I proposed. And when we raised enough money to start Ranger's new R/C truck skill (Yaaay!) at our fall banquet, it took a fair amount of willpower for me to not run out and buy the new R/C trucks.

This attitude makes its way into every part of my life. When something goes awry in my life, I pray that God will deliver me immediately and take the pain away. Maybe you can relate with my eager (and often impatient) nature. That's why I struggle with verses like this:

"I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry." -Psalm 40:1
"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him" - Psalm 37:7

I've said it before and I'll say it again. God isn't a science experiment. He has a personality. He does what He wants. Oh, and don't forget that He's all-powerful and all-knowing.

Man... waiting isn't easy, but God operates on his own schedule. Dave and Jan are still waiting on God to sell their house. Brooke and Taylor are still waiting for God to heal their mom. I'm waiting for God to bring my brother back to Himself. And pretty much everyone who's reading this right now is wondering when God will finally answer their prayers.

What do we do?

Wait on the Lord and He will renew your strength.

And so we come, we cry, we watch, we wait, we look, we long for God.