The Waiting

Colossians 1:9-12 "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, ¹⁰ so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, ¹² and giving joyful thanks to the Father,....."  NIV



It seems to me that I do a lot of waiting.  This last year has been an exhaustive test of my waiting skills.  Waiting on a son to come home from a mission, waiting on a son to come home from Afghanistan, waiting on a wedding, a baby, another baby, still another baby, a diagnosis, an event, a quiet moment, an uninterrupted day with sweetheart.  A heart stretched to it's bursting point while waiting for a phone call, a letter, a smile, a touch, a breath. 

There are days when I feel like I signed up for an endurance race that has no finish line.  I keep getting called back for false starts.  My shoes are the wrong size and my headband keeps sliding down over my eyes.  I am in the last race of the day, the first race hasn't even been run yet and it's after lunch already.  Even worse, I show up for my race and find out instead of a track, I am going to run cross country.

The dictionary describes endurance as "the ability or strength to continue or to last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions." No matter the circumstances of our life, if we put everything in God's Hands, He will give us the ability to endure anything.  When we can't crawl forward even one more inch, He will give us the strength we need to finish the journey.  When we can't wait another minute, He will show us that patience brings us a greater reward. 

Every mother will tell you that the worst thing you can pray for is patience.  God's sense of humor is great and He will make sure you have lot's of patience when all is said and done.  I have learned one thing about my Abba though.  When He is done laughing at His willful, impatient, stubborn daughter, He always rewards me with His mercy.  I am slowly learning that if I but take the time to read His words, prepare for the race that He has set before me, and live my life only to please Him, the waiting will be bearable.  He gives me the strength to endure to the end.