Waiting is a strange thing. We are not conditioned to wait. When I turn my computer on, I expect it to start right up. I get jealous when I see people with faster starting computers. When I want a hormone-injected Chicken Sandwich I go to the drive through and get one. When I want information about anything, I google it and have it within seconds. Everything I WANT is right at my fingertips. Waiting almost comes to us as an loud interruption. Something opposite of what it actually is, silence. If I am ever in a position where I am forced to wait then hopefully I have a television, ipod, book, or something else to keep me occupied. And what of those times when you are waiting on something big to happen?
A man and wife are waiting until they can get to the point where they can actually take the instant pregnancy test. It used to be that the man would sweat it out until she missed. But now it is a run to the drug store, and within 15 minutes you are either re-evaluating your life, or you are cracking open a cool frosty drink and breathing a sigh of relief.
The reason that we hate waiting the most is that we are faced with the reality that we are not in control. We are not the Lords of our universe. Our focus doesn't always determine our reality. If it doesn't then we are faced with either the anxiety and depression of unsuccessfully struggling for that control or we relinquish control of our life and let God fill the void that most often, we do not know is there. Man lost dominion over this world in Eden and has been trying to get back ever since.
Waiting causes us to fear.
When realize that we cannot MAKE something happen this scares us to death. Why, because we play God most of our days and when we are faced with a time when we need to deliver and make something happen as God could, we can't. This fear can cause SEVERE disillusions and depression.
How many times did Jesus say "Do not be afraid" or "Don't worry" It seems like every time He turned around he was giving these words to people or his disciples. It seems like every time I turn around He is saying that to me.
Try saying this phrase and mean it, maybe repeat it a few times until it sinks in. It may be cheezy but I promise it feels good. Say "God, You take control of my life" Maybe even shut your eyes and know that God holds all things together with his will, every chair, atom, hair follicle, the very breath in your lungs. He has willed it to stay in existence.
For some of us, this is still confusing, pointless, or hard to except. Why?
1. Some of us take this to mean that "well I guess you mean that I'll just sit around on my buttcheeks until God does something" No, I am afraid that is not what is implied. One only has to look at the ebb and flow of all things in creation to know that God has created nothing in a pouting, immobile, fearful state. (except for me when I am hungry) Each of us has a gift or ability that is in use at all times and I am convinced that when Heaven is ours for the viewing and the World and all that we know is made new, that we will be filled with God to our fullest AND we will have us DOING something.
2. We want to be God. That is all there is to it. It goes back to that fateful day in Eden when Adam and Eve chose themselves over God. They chose to disbelieve that God is good and that His way is the best. They were lured in by the lie that they could be the master of their own universe. They took that bate and so do we. Even if we achieve whatever we strive for, we are faced with the realization that all things are fleeting and only ONE thing can bring us true Joy. What has always baffled me is when people have told me that you can experience same Joy while you wait by the phone as when you are belting out at tune on Broadway. How is this possible?
Remember a time where you have babysat. The mother drops her little bundle of Joy off with you and he starts crying. Finally you distract him at all costs just to get the crying to stop. Whatever you distract him with may last for a while but as soon as he is reminded of his mother he is crying again. It isn't the toy or bottle or TV show that he wants, it is his Mother.
We are same way with God accept when we start crying again we don't realize what it is that we really want. We are ticked that thing we wanted didn't bring us the joy we thought we deserved. We get to do all that we want, and yet we find that we can be so totally bored and depressed after only so much of it.
St. Augustine said that in every man there is a God Shaped vacuum. The sooner we realize that this Joy we search for is God then the sooner we can really start living and filling up that vacuum. We were made to see God as He is and love and be loved by Him. When this is our vision, when we realize this, waiting is no longer a chore, it is a precious time where we use the greatest gift He gave us all besides His Son, our Will. It is this will that gives you a chance to put that faith in action.
8 comments:
My Lord this is the longest blog ever. Oh well...
there is nothing wrong with long blog entries. *nods*
very convicting seth...
Good stuff, Seth.
When we hear about the fruit of the Spirit today, it seems that most people gloss right over "patience", like it's not even there on the list.
The whole Word of Faith movement that has invaded the church is built on the opposite idea -- if you have enough faith, tell God what you want, and He will give it to you RIGHT NOW.
It's why I wanna make a few million bucks. So I get everything when and how I want it. I'm sure it won't work, but here's to trying.
Why is finding contentment so hard? That internal peace that we want, we fight for it every day. It's not natural to wake up with this peace. We have to come before the Lord to get it.
I think patience can be very busy. I tend to not think of it as sitting back and doing nothing, like you said, but as doing everything I can and giving what I can't over to God. I don't mean to imply that I only need God for the things I can't do, just that I expect God put me here and gave me the abilities He did for a reason.
I finally figured this out, very recently. I love your analogy with the babysitter. it's so true. what we really need is God. before i do anything at all, i go to the word of God everyday, and i cannot tell you the difference it is making in my contentment, waiting level. my circumstances are the same, yet i don't care. i am happier than i have ever been. we must come to him everyday though, that's the kicker. well said fancy.
Usually we are waiting for something rather than a bunch of small somethings. We want that "some big thing" to happen now or when we want it.
I always have to sit back and remember that God has watched stars burn out. However this does not mean that time means nothing to him. Time means something to Him because he created it, so He is quite aware how we view it relatively an we are important to Him and so is everything else He created.
I always get frustrated at people who say "well time means nothing to God" We are His sons and daughters and we operate in time so it means something to Him. What He wants is for us to trust him and not be afraid. We can work towards our goals but when those goals become the focus of our Joy the goal can become the root of evil.
God is in the eternal now. This is where He wants us to live. Now. This is hard if we take or think of it in the wrong way. It does not mean that you stop moving ahead like Cach said. I means that you move ahead without fear and worry.
"Consider the lillies."
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