I have been thinking of waiting a lot lately.
Really thinking about it – probably because I am in that season myself now.
And this season feels all too familiar; so familiar in fact that I have memorised the waiting room. I know how the couches feel when I sit; I know the distinct pattern of the tiles out of my head and I have read every magazine on offer on the table in front of me. I’m sure that many of you have been in a waiting season too or you may find yourselves there right now.
C. S Lewis describes waiting in such a beautiful way. He compares serving God to a house and that we all have our own rooms, designed just for us. He says:
“It is true that some people may find they have to wait in the hall for a considerable time, while others feel certain almost at once which door they must knock at. I do not know why there is this difference, but I am sure God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that is good for him to wait.”
And while I have pondered on this thought of waiting recently, I too have compared it to a place hence the waiting room analogy. As I have thought of this topic, the same conflicting thoughts keep coming up – do I make myself comfortable on the couch and re-read one of those magazines or do I keep knocking on the door or asking the receptionist when it will be my turn? The former goes against my nature and the latter goes against my faith.
You see, I never knew that serving God would have all these conflicting moments. I assumed that once I accepted the Lord into my heart, that my heart would be changed forever and that I would always automatically align with the will of the Father. But to my dismay, this is often not the case. Part of the struggle is that fight between your nature and your faith.
So what is the right answer?
I do not have a concrete answer for you because I am still figuring it out myself. But one thing that I agree with C. S Lewis about is the fact we wouldn’t have to wait if God didn’t see it fit for us to wait and I do not think that His intention was for us to necessarily enjoy it – I believe that is meant to grow our fruit – namely patience and long-suffering. I believe that waiting brings about maturity and self-control, because even though I know which door is mine ( because He told me!), I can not enter until He says so and that requires both maturity and self-control.
To carry on with the house analogy put forward by the great Mr Lewis, yes, there is a waiting room or a hallway as he likes to put it, BUT we should not become so fixated on that one door that we forget the others doors and rooms that God has already blessed us with. A tactic of the enemy is always to twist the good that God has done, so he will keep you occupied with the one thing that is going wrong in your life so that you hold it against God and forget His goodness. Do not give in to that! Instead, pursue fully the missions that those other rooms provide for you. I know that for many, it is really difficult to find the good now but work hard at it and pursue the good. This is how you put up a fight against the enemy.
Who knows, while you’re busy working in your open rooms you might just get that call,
“Hi Sir/M’am, it’s time for your appointment. Can you meet me outside your door?”
1 Peter 5:6-11
“6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
