Lessons from the Waiting Room

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength,

they shall mount up with wings like eagles,

they shall run and not be weary,

they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)

I've spent a lot of time in waiting rooms.  Some had uncomfortable chairs and old magazines.  Others looked like unanswered prayers, rejection emails, uncertainty, and long nights wondering what God was doing.

I've learned that the hardest waiting rooms are not found in hospitals or doctors’ offices. They are the places where we are waiting on God.

This summer I found myself in another kind of waiting room while in Washington D.C.

When I packed my bags and traveled to our nation's capital, I thought God was sending me here to learn about advocacy, homelessness policy, and the work of creating lasting change. While I've learned more than I ever imagined, the greatest lessons have not come from conference rooms, policy discussions, or walking the halls where important decisions are made.

The greatest lessons come in the quiet moments, the moments when I realized God was doing something in me while I was waiting for what comes next.  I am beginning to understand that waiting is often where God does His deepest work.

Here are a few of the lessons I have learned while waiting……

Lesson One: Waiting Reveals What I'm Trusting

When everything is certain, it is easy to say we trust God. It is much harder to say we trust God when we do not know what will come next. I have had moments when I wanted answers more than I wanted God's presence. I wanted the next opportunity, the next assignment, the next chapter. But God gently reminded me that my security has never been found in a position, a paycheck, or even a plan.

My security has always been found in Him.

Lesson Two: Preparation Often Happens Before Promotion

I came to Washington D. C. to learn about policy. God used this season to teach me about patience. Sometimes we become so focused on where we are going that we overlook who we are becoming.

The waiting season is not delaying God's purpose.  It is God's purpose for this moment.

Every conversation, every challenge, every quiet evening has become another opportunity for Him to prepare my heart for whatever He has planned next.

Lesson Three: God Meets Us in the Quiet

Some of the most sacred moments happened when no one else was watching. They happened during quiet walks through the city. They happened in whispered prayers. They happened in moments when God gently reminded me that His presence is not dependent upon my circumstances.

I've learned that faithfulness is often quiet. It is choosing to trust God one day at a time, even when the destination is not clear. While I struggled to understand what was ahead, God was never confused. He knew the path long before I ever took the first step.

Lesson Four: Waiting Is Not Wasted

If you are in a waiting season today, I want to encourage you with something God is teaching me.

Waiting is not punishment.

Waiting is not abandonment.

Waiting is not evidence that God has forgotten you.

Sometimes waiting is holy ground.

It is where our faith deepens.

It is where our perspective changes.

It is where our hope is renewed.

Even when we cannot see it, God is always at work.  As I continue to seek His direction for the next season, I am learning that I do not have to know every answer.  I simply have to keep walking with the One who does.  If you find yourself sitting in a waiting room today, do not lose heart.

God is still writing your story.  The waiting room may feel quiet...but heaven has never stopped working.

Maybe today, your soul feels more weary than restored. If so, take heart. The Shepherd has not forgotten you. He is still leading, still healing, and still restoring. Healing doesn't always happen in a moment, it often happens one faithful step at a time. This is where our journey begins. I hope you'll join me next week as we continue walking together toward the restoration only He can give.

May you find hope in every season and strength for the journey....walking together toward the restoration only He can give."

A Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, thank You for being the Shepherd who restores our souls. For the woman reading these words today, meet her in her weariness. Replace discouragement with hope, fear with peace, and exhaustion with Your strength. Remind her that healing is not measured by how quickly she recovers but by how faithfully she continues to walk with You. Restore what has been broken, renew what has grown weary, and lead her beside still waters once again. In Jesus' name, Amen.

His Love and MINE,

Shemeca