Thoughts: Hannah's Blog

        All of us have to go through this every day in some form or the other – Be it waiting in a queue to bill the stuff you shopped for or waiting for a file to download or waiting for the traffic signal to turn green or waiting for a bus or waiting for an answer to your prayer. It could be anything but we do spend a lot of our time waiting. It is inevitable, unavoidable. Sometimes we just wish we didn’t have to wait so much. In this fast-paced world, lots of efforts are being taken to reduce the waiting time. They open more billing counters in shops, they improve the processing capability in computers/mobiles for faster download, they build bridges to reduce traffic (thereby causing more traffic!), they increase the number of buses plying on the roads(adding to further traffic) and so on. The effort continues, but are we satisfied? Once we get used to the reduced waiting time, we want to be faster still!

        So how is our attitude when we wait? Let us consider an example of waiting for a bus. For the first few minutes I am okay with it. Then buses start coming but not the numbers I want (Ones that takes me to my destination). Then I start looking around, observe people, realize that those that came after me have left before me and start feeling bad. Then I start looking at the opposite side and see many buses of the number which I wish to travel in and wonder why me!

        So, is there any way to escape this waiting? Sadly, No! This is one of those things that we cannot avoid but we can learn to cope with it and have a right attitude about it. So what do people normally do to while waiting? Nowadays I see all are glued to their mobiles – they either play or browse or check fb or chat in whatsapp or listen to some music. What if the waiting time is longer? Like when we wait for something to happen in our lives, when we keep praying and it seems as if there is no answer? People wait for jobs or to get their life partners or for a job change or to be healed of some illness or for their family members to be saved – how do we wait in such circumstances? Even as you read this, you may be waiting for something to happen in your life over which you have no control, but

        REMEMBER God is in control! He is the Creator God, the Maker of the Heavens and the Earth. Our future is in His hands. He holds all our tomorrows. There is nothing that God can’t do. He is the One who calmed the storm by His word. When God steps into our situation, we know for sure that He is able to turn the situation differently! So,

        EXPECT great things to happen! Be strong and don’t give up! The word of God encourages us to wait expectantly (Psalms 5:3) and not to lose hope when we wait (Psalms 33:20) even though the situation might not be that great and you are weak, tired and weary of waiting and you feel like giving up – don’t! We may have a lot of questions in mind but let us just sit at His feet

        In SILENCE – It’s really hard to do that. But it is only when we wait silently in God’s presence that we will be able to hear the still small voice of God like Elijah. There was a strong wind blowing, God was not there, there was an earthquake but God was not there. Then there was a fire, but God was not in the fire and after the fire came a gentle whisper! We have to shut out the other noises that fill our hearts and minds and tune to God.  “Be still and know that I am God.” – Psalms 46:10. So is there really a short cut to stop the waiting time and just directly rush to the end that we are waiting for – Sorry not possible because we all know, everything happens

        In God’s TIME – It may be difficult to accept that because of our impatient nature and because we at times make the mistake of thinking that we know better than God! Sometimes God expects us to surrender some part of our life which we had not yet surrendered to Him and He waits for us patiently till we do that. It takes time for us to realize that, so it might actually be us, who are the reason for delaying the answer! Or sometimes it just happens that way so that all the pieces might fall into place. It’s like a big jigsaw puzzle and God is fitting the pieces together. We may not understand it now but when we travel farther and when the picture comes into view, we will surely be able to enjoy it and appreciate God’s way of making everything beautiful in His time!

        So, in order to maintain the right attitude while waiting all we have to do is REST – Remember God is in control; Expect great things to happen; Sit in Silence at God’s feet to learn from Him and finally everything will happen beautiful in His Time! Let us not forget God’s invitation: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest” – Matthew 11:28. I’d like to quote from one of my favorite songs:

Find rest my soul, In Christ alone

Know His power, in quietness and trust

When the oceans rise and thunders roar,

I will soar with you above the storm

Father you are King over the flood

I will be still and know you are God!