Have you ever been part of a large crowd in a banquet hall or possibly a wedding and the table numbers were being called in an order so that you could get your food. Ok, so then maybe you know that feeling of being the last table called as your stomach rumbles and your patience level plummets. Or maybe it's sitting in the DMV and your number seems to be ”305” and they're calling out ”99”. Your ability to be patient and hold on is tested beyond belief. Whatever the situation I think we all have moments when we have had to learn to wait. So, what if you are supposed to wait? What if you aren't first? What if the plan calls for you to be number ”305” in the plan of the day? And here's a really funny scenario for you. . . . . what if you were number ”5,000”’who sat on the far away hill on the day Jesus and his disciples fed the 5,000? Hmmmmm, What would you have looked like that day?
Would there be a dry patch of earth at your feet from all the impatient pacing around while you waited? Would you have fallen asleep and missed the message and the meal because of weariness in waiting? I'd like to believe I would have sat and listened and hung on Jesus’ every word until the bonus of lunch came my way but truthfully, probably not. Do you ever wonder if there was grumbling In the crowd on that far away hill as they all waited for the meal? Would there have been people saying ”when are we going to eat?” like the people in the banquet hall waiting for their table to be called?
But here's a thought for you, ”What if you were ’chosen to wait’ ”?That's right, ’chosen’! Ridiculous thought right! Maybe not.
Here’s another, maybe impatience has put us in the same place as the person on the far away hill, the person that was there because they actually had a need for something that they weren't readily recognizing. They didn't see that what they.needed was healing. Maybe they were ”chosen to wait”! You know Jesus himself said, ”many are called but few are chosen!” (sorry my pinach for the ridiculous gets in the way sometimes )
Well, what if we were chosen to wait because Jesus needed to perfect something in us that was lacking? Here's the really beautiful part though. It's 2 fold! In II Corinthians Jesus said, ” my grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness”. So, while Jesus is perfecting something in us, He is being glorified and it's because of our weaknesses that his power is made perfect and he is glorified. Just chew on that for a minute! It either tastes good and nourishes you or you still need to wait for the revelation of that. Whatever it looks like, I believe that there is a time that it will come to you and maybe the longer the wait the greater the revelation.
The greatest and deepest need that you and I have in our weakness should not necessarily come in the form of quick relief or a quick fix. It's not necessarily being given number ”99” by some kind soul when number ”98” is being called. Perhaps the greatest and deepest need is for us to be number ”305” or that person on the far away hill. It's doing something in us! It's producing something beautiful that will not only bring healing to us but power and glory to Him.
So, if your frustration in the waiting is causing you to squirm, grumble or exhibit tendencies of a entitled princess just know this. . . . know that when the things that we need that give us sustenance (bread & fish) are being passed out, that Jesus can see you in your far away place and He knows all too well what you have need of. You were most likely chosen to be number 5,000 on that far away hill for a reason. You were most likely ’chosen to wait’!
Insight insert: Calling on those of you out there who may be encouragers. Before you run headlong into situations that call for your encouraging heart to rush in and rescue, take a moment. Ask the Lord for wisdom and guidance on how to proceed. We encouragers tend to lead with our hearts at times which can prove a bit reckless if temperance isn't applied. Pray and ask the Lord if the situation calls for ”waiting” because God is trying to do a work in that persons heart. In the waiting we can also learn to be better listeners and glorifying God all the more. 😊
Scripture: Romans 5:3-5
”More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
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