Waiting with Attitude

The other day I waited in a queue to make a purchase. When it was my turn at the counter the sales register computer stopped working. I waited while the sales assistant tried to fix the problem. I waited while she called the manager over. I waited while the manager tried to fix it. I waited while they called for IT support. And when they sent me to another sales point I waited while the sales assistant finished answering a customer query.

I don’t know exactly how long I waited, but it was long enough for the manager to give me a 20% discount off my purchase. It was an unexpected reward for waiting patiently.

I’d like to say that I’m always that patient, but of course I’m not. I can get frustrated, irritable and angry, especially when I have an expectation that things should be faster. Sometimes my attitude leaves a lot to be desired.

“Are we there yet?” is a question that also reveals a certain attitude towards waiting. In fact it’s really more of a complaint than a question. It’s taking too long. We’re tired of waiting. We want to get onto the good stuff. We think waiting is pointless and boring. We just want the waiting to be over. We want what we want and we want it NOW. Like the petulant grandson in The Princess Bride, when asked to wait we want to know, “Well, when does it get good?”

Having a good attitude can make all the difference when it comes to waiting, especially in those situations when we have no idea how long the wait will be.

“Are we there yet?” – Waiting on God

Anyone who’s ever travelled with children, knows how challenging that can be, especially over long distances. If you’ve watched and enjoyed Shrek 2 you’ll remember you’ll remember how Donkey produces that exquisite pain brought about by the familiar refrain, “Are we there yet?”

Even as adults, we’re not really that different from Donkey, are we?

Starting something new often brings with it a good degree of energy and enthusiasm. Be it a project, a relationship, a journey, or a dream; whatever it is, we have hopeful expectations of something good, great even. But somewhere along the way, if our expectations aren’t met, if things seem to be taking a lot longer than we anticipated, our attitude starts to change. We start asking the questions that seem to have no satisfactory answer.

Why is it taking so long? Why am I still waiting? Why is God holding out on me? How much longer? When?

We hate waiting. We hate waiting, especially in this age of technology, credit, fast food and instant gratification.

Nevertheless, waiting is a fact that none of us can avoid entirely. Recently the official teaser trailer for the new Star Wars movie was released on YouTube. Already it has been viewed over 38 million times. And all those millions of fans will have to wait until December 2015 when the movie is released. That’s a year of waiting.

Birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas are also events which require waiting (although perhaps not always with the same level of anticipation and excitement as one might for a wedding day, the birth of a baby, or the release of the third instalment of The Hobbit.)

At least with these events we know when they are coming. We have a date to look forward to. Years ago, a friend had a daily countdown to her wedding day. It was a one year engagement, and on any given day she could tell you how many sleeps were left before the wedding. My friend was anticipating the day she would walk down the aisle and say “I do.”

But what about those things we long for, where there is no date? When we have no idea how long the wait will be? That kind of waiting is hard, no question.

And in the midst of all this unwelcome waiting is the opportunity to wait on God. A “seek His face” kind of waiting. A listening kind of waiting. A worshipping kind of waiting. Waiting on God, and not just for God, takes us  into a whole new place in our relationship with him.

This is the beginning of a new series: “Waiting on God.” (My thanks to Alicia for the idea.) I hope you’ll join me for what I think will be a really interesting and challenging subject to explore. May we experience the wisdom and blessing of the Lord as we learn how to wait.

Photo Credit: alexcoitus via Compfight cc (title text added)

Waiting with Attitude

31 Days: When Listening means Waiting

Waiting can seem like the hardest thing.

Sometimes it seems that there is only silence when I listen. That I am alone with my own thoughts and nothing else.

Where are you Lord? Why are you silent? How long must I wait for you to acknowledge me, to whisper in my heart?

But Lord, I also know the fickleness of my own heart. I know how quickly I would rush on if you never made me wait. You create space for us in the waiting. How else will I learn to quiet myself, to be still in your presence, to listen, to love you, if you do not make me wait?

If your speaking must always be on my terms, in my time, if I am unwilling to wait, then I am not really loving you.

There is something in the waiting, in the listening, that speaks love.

Love is patient. As you wait for me, so I wait for you.

It’s hard, there’s no denying. But there’s also hope. You love me and I am not forgotten.

Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14

This is Day 8 of the series 31 Days to Listen.

How to be blessed by missing the bus

 

Missed it by that much.

My bus home came and left without me. I hate that. I’d rather miss it by a lot, than see it but not be able to get to it in time.

I had a tight schedule but I heard a whisper in my spirit, “Don’t stress about it Ann, there’s time.” So I settled myself to wait the 15 minutes for the next one.

“Excuse me, but is this E1?”

“Yes” I replied, pointing to the large sign in front of us.

He was a polite young man with a broad smile and a thick accent, armed with a timetable and metro card, but not much idea how to use them.

It was swiftly apparent that this was his first time using our bus system. So we checked his timetable and I explained what he needed to do once he got on the bus.

There was enough time for what he needed, and then my bus arrived.

“God bless you,” he said. And as I climbed on the bus, I knew He had.

When ‘gentle’ doesn’t feel like a compliment

Gentle.

Numerous times I’ve heard that word used to describe me. It was always meant as a compliment, but somehow I was unable to receive it. To me, gentle was just another word for soft, weak, or pushover. I didn’t want to be soft or weak or a pushover. I wanted to be strong, confident, assured.

I’ve wondered why gentleness is included as a gift of the Spirit (see Galations 5:22-23), and why the Bible encourages us to pursue gentleness (1 Timothy 6:11), to clothe ourselves in gentleness (Colossians 3:12), and to let our gentleness be evident to all (1 Peter 3:15).

And then I am reminded that a gentle answer deflects anger (Proverbs 15:1) and that a gentle tongue can break a bone (Proverbs 25:15).

Break a bone? That’s some metaphor. And I was worried about gentleness being weak?

There is power in gentleness.

And tonight I am reminded once again that there is power in gentleness because God is gentle.* He is kind and tolerant and patient.

That’s gentleness.

So I choose to embrace gentleness, grateful that God’s character is being shaped in me.

* Thank you to Sarah Siders. Check out her post here.