Can’t wait till the finish line
The wind brushes past you as you huff and puff towards the finish line. Your legs are shaking from the constant movement and nearly at the end of their strength.
You’re not sure how you got to where you are now as the journey seems to be a blur. As you weren’t content on the road, all you thought about was your end goal—the finishing line, which is now in clear sight. It was good you kept this in mind, but it consumed you and you found it difficult to think about anything else, let alone enjoy the ride.
Through green fields you dashed, by streams of rivers you sprung, under tunnels you maneuvered. Meanwhile, towns of people cheered you on and at the end of your race they ask you a million questions: what was it like? How did you feel? Did you see the old windmill? Did you hear us cheering for you?
But you can’t remember the face of anyone who urged you on, and don’t recall seeing a single windmill.
The only thing that comes to mind about your journey is the smell of your sweat, sound of your huffing, the agony throughout your body, and the sight of the pebbly road that went on and on.
You couldn’t wait to reach the end, so nothing else mattered.
The importance of waiting
There are many times in life where we must wait. Wait for the bus or the train, someone to respond, our order to reach the table. In a world of instant gratification, we seem to expect things to come as soon as we ask for them.
We haven’t been taught to wait, let alone enjoy waiting.
If I am hungry, I can easily get some food from any nearby shop. If I have a head ache, I can take some medication and it’s usually gone in a few hours. We get frustrated in the smallest of lines, constantly checking our phones to pass the time.
We feel the need to race through life.
We need to realise that while life is a race we need to run, we can still enjoy lessons and adventures with God along the way. We can observe our cheer squad or take a break to enjoy the windmill.
Yet there are many seasons of life we would rather rush through. Seasons of pain can be extremely difficult to ‘wait on the Lord’ in. Waiting in suffering can be especially difficult. Not only do we not like waiting but we also don’t like pain.
What if we are waiting for a cure for cancer… or a loved one to come home… or on God for an answer to a question that’s been consuming us… or a marriage proposal… These times can feel like agony. How are we supposed to find time to enjoy them let alone get enough energy to survive them?
Waiting is Biblical
Many Bible characters had to wait through something. Abraham waited for the fulfilment of the promise of his son, Joseph waited for deliverance when he was imprisoned, Jacob waited 7 years for a bride, and Job waited for healing from his sores and broken messed up life. I wonder how these characters enjoyed there waiting times?
James says we should count it all joy when we go through various trials. All joy? I hear you say. Really?
Yes, it is a joyful thing to go through the trial of waiting because there’s a divine reason behind waiting.
Did Joseph enjoy his imprisonment? Perhaps not and so may have complained the whole time. But perhaps Joseph also got to know God more during this season. So can we and receive joy from knowing him in a new way.
If we weren’t in this waiting period we miss out on certain lessons. We wouldn’t comprehend certain aspects of God or attain particular fruits of the Spirit.
James says that trials bring us endurance. If the race only involved the start and finishing line, we wouldn’t grow endurance.
Endure and move
When we are waiting, we aren’t just standing by. If you’re in a race, you’re looking forward to the finish line, but you must do something to get there. Make the most of your waiting seasons.
I don’t want to look back on such times regretfully because I complained all through them, kept my head low, and forgot those around me or the lessons I could’ve learnt.
I want to learn thankfulness in my waiting season. I want to learn to be a runner that finishes the race but has much to say for it. A runner that takes in the beautiful smell of the flowers, takes a pit stop with a group of believers, and time to pray every morning before my legs begin their race again.
Being thankful will help us endure. Enjoy God and all his benefits through your waiting. Remember that our light and momentary affliction is for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 17).
Why not enjoy the windmill and high five someone cheering you on your race? You will reach the end of your journey of waiting, so make the most of it while you’re there.
Renee Jenner resides in Sydney, Australia and is currently in her third year of studying Social Work at Sydney University. She is the first born of home-base missionary parents whose ministry has made a huge impression on her heart. She always writes from the soul, desiring to encourage people through her writing to enjoy God, relax in his goodness and spread his love to the utmost parts of the earth. She loves a good cuppa with a deep, thoughtful conversation.
You can find her other thoughtful and unique writings at renee.jenner.wordpress.com
Renee Jenner resides in Sydney, Australia and is a recently qualified social worker who has recently found a job! She is the first born of home-base missionary parents whose ministry has made a huge impression on her heart. She always writes from the soul to the soul, desiring to encourage readers to enjoy God, relax in His goodness and spread His love to the utmost parts of the earth. She loves a good cuppa with a deep, thoughtful conversation. You can find her other writings at renee.jenner.wordpress.com
