A God Who Waits

This guest post was written and submitted by a couple in the FLS domestic adoption program who are waiting to adopt a child.  Their hope is that this may be an encouragement to other waiting families as they share what they are learning through this time of waiting.

Waiting.  For some, the word “waiting” may conjure up images of long grocery store lines or traffic jams. Maybe it brings to mind time spent in a crowded doctor’s office. It might cause you to reflect on some long-hoped for event. Waiting is something we often reluctantly endure rather than patiently embrace.

Our journey to bring children into our home has granted us multiple opportunities to wait. In our more faithful moments we have asked God, “What do you want us to learn from this? What do we do with this time of waiting?” There have certainly been times when these are not the questions we have asked of God. As the Psalmist, we have cried “Oh God, where is your provision?”

At a recent point in our journey a realization came. God isn’t asking anything of us that He doesn’t experience daily. Is our God not a God who waits? Does God not wait for His children to be brought home? Many are those who are blessed because our God is acquainted with waiting, patiently.

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:8-9). God’s mercy is new every morning. In the overflow of God’s mercy and grace, He is waiting on humanity. He waits for the day when His kingdom will come in its fullness and in all its glory. He is waiting for us. He waits when we choose lesser things over His best for us. He waits for us to fully surrender ourselves to Him. He waits for us to tell the story of His rule and reign through our lives and at times even through our waiting.

It is comforting and humbling to know that God understands what waiting is all about and does not ask us to endure what He is not acquainted with. That perspective gives us strength and hope. It provides us with a small glimpse of Gods character. Our God, a God of no boundaries and infinite power, submits Himself to waiting…and we are the ones who benefit.

So many times, in the midst of waiting, we can only see our own trials and difficulties. This limited perspective fosters discouragement. Instead, as we wait, may we remember that we are not alone. Our God is familiar with waiting. In fact, He has had more practice at it than we have!

Perhaps this time of waiting is not a curse but a gift. Perhaps God is teaching us about Himself.

May you be blessed in your time of waiting.