Each Passing Day

I hate long lines. I get antsy on long road trips. I like quick answers and solutions. Stoplights are obstacles.

Waiting...

In our society waiting is considered wasting time. It’s a moment lost where we otherwise could have earned a buck, learned a lesson, or made a memory. Why does waiting eat at us so quickly, and why does it wear me out?
There is some magical/spiritual connection between our souls and the wait. There is something God digs about waiting, and I don't think He just likes seeing us squirm and lose our minds. There is this concept in the Bible about "waiting on the Lord," and about breaking free from our schedules in order to be still before the Lord.
Now, I know all the answers as to why God wants us to stop and wait. It forces us to depend on Him and surrender our will. It is healthy for our physical bodies to let go of worry. It forces us to stop controlling our own lives and wait for God's guidance. These are all grand things that I believe whole-heartedly in, but I feel as if my soul writhes like a slug under salt when I go through a time of waiting. Is there anyway for those cups to pass me?
This morning I woke thinking about this whole "waiting" issue, and as I drove to work I asked myself, "Why does God make us wait?" I began to think on how He wants our souls to rip and tear so they can grow back stronger. He wants us to persevere and press on just like one does when they lift weights. Then I chuckled to myself proudly for my play on words..."hehe...the wait is like lifting a weight...Oh, Taylor, you silly son of a gun."
But there is so much of my life that I control: my house, my money, my relationships, my talents, my ministry. It is rare that I am forced to truly surrender. However, every once in a while a situation in life arises where our control slips through our fingers that we tragically try to gasp harder and harder with every grain that falls.
At this point we are left empty-handed.
It’s these moments that cause me to finally surrender my life. I feel my soul pulsating from the pressure of waiting. I must wait for an answer, guidance, or healing; and it almost feels physically tangible. I can feel it on my shoulders as it presses down on me. Perhaps this is a cross that we bear, and perhaps this is how we learn Christ-like perseverance. With this wait on our shoulders, we learn to press on. When life comes to a halt and only time will tell, we learn to become a surrendered sacrifice. Let us not forget to enjoy the now as we wait on the then. After all, I believe that if I truly long for the abundant life, it is well worth the wait, my friend.