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Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The Waiting Room

I’ve been reading the Bible for a long time now. My particular version of choice has typically been the New International Version (NIV). And in reading this version for most of my adult life, I’ve never come across the word longsuffering. Oh, it’s all over the King James Version (KJV), but not the NIV. Why? My guess is that it just doesn’t sound good. I mean it’s basically saying that you are going to suffer and that your suffering is going to last a long time. Who wants to hear that? Not me.

In order to understand the Bible more clearly, I often search for the original text meanings. Even though our Bibles are translated in English, they were not written it in originally (Old Testament in Hebrew; New Testament in Greek). So, I went to my trusty website to find what the word longsuffering meant. I found the following definition:

1) patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance, forbearance, longsuffering, slowness in avenging wrongs

After being married about 18 months, my husband and I decided that we wanted to have a child. Once we no longer prevented a baby’s conception, we figured that we’d be pregnant in no time. That was in 1994.

Our first son was not born until 1999.

Talk about longsuffering. Those years of waiting, negative pregnancy tests, watching my girlfriends having their 1st, 2nd and 3rd children when I could not even get pregnant with one child were excruciating. It was a great desire in my heart to be a mom. Why did God make me wait so long? Better yet, why don’t some women ever get to become a mom?

During those arduous years, I didn’t know why I had to wait. However, since his arrival nearly 9 years ago, God has revealed to me over and over again that He is sovereign and I am not. Nuff said.

I believe that God developed some character traits in me during that season of life that otherwise might not have been developed. My intimacy with God is deeper than ever because He truly became everything to me. He knew every thought and feeling I had during this painful time. I wasn’t afraid to be real with Him and cast all of the hurts I had onto him. After all, the Bible says in 1 Peter 5 to “cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” I did just that. You can, too.

Exercising patience is not a lot of fun. I am fairly certain that I have never heard anyone say, “Man, I am so excited about what God is going to show me and how I’m going to change during this time of waiting. Woo hoo!” No, not so much. But, as I’ve talked with countless people over the years after their seasons of waiting, every single person has said that he/she wouldn’t trade the life lessons learned for the comfortable life they had before. You see, it’s in those days, months and years of waiting where we start to look a lot more like Christ.

A good friend of mine wrote one time “His lessons always contain a lasting sweetness when they are properly learned.”

King David wrote in Psalm 139, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” It’s quite a bold prayer to take before God. But trust me when I say that He will deliver. He will perform the most successful heart surgery, or even a transplant, that’s ever been accomplished. Trust His steady hand.

Are you in a waiting room?

What is it that God wants to teach you?

Are there areas of your life that God wants to make new?

In Him,



Join Cindy daily at her website CindyBeall.com

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12 Comments:

Blogger Denise said...

Wonderful devotion sweetie.

October 29, 2008 at 12:48 AM  
Blogger Debbie Petras said...

Waiting can be so hard but I do know from past experience, that's when I best learn the lessons the Lord is teaching me. Even now, I am in a period of waiting. Answers to prayer for the salvation of several loved ones. But I place my trust in the One who sees all and knows all. And I will choose to cast my cares on Him.

October 29, 2008 at 4:12 AM  
Blogger Christa said...

Well said.
God Bless

October 29, 2008 at 8:25 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Thank you so much for your words. I have been dealing with secondary infertility - I have a 8 1/2 year-old son. We have done nothing to prevent pregnancy since he was born. It's a long and painful journey and I know that I am not the only one dealing with it...but I also know God can either give me peace during the wait (should I ever have another), that He can grant me another child (should that be His Will), or He can make me strong and capable of so many things - INCLUDING knowing that the family I have now is complete. I don't know where this journey is leading me, but I know there is a greater purpose for me than what I can plan for myself!

Be very, very blessed!

October 29, 2008 at 9:00 AM  
Blogger Traci said...

Wow this is so good, I have been in a waiting room for three and a half years now. I get discouraged, but I know god is in control. Thank you for this devotion.

October 29, 2008 at 9:19 AM  
Blogger Super B's Mom said...

This post spoke to me so strongly because I also endured a season of waiting in my journey to become a mother. Four years passed before my dream became a reality and often times I struggled with why I had to endure it all.

Now, five years since the birth of my son I now see the plan that God had for my life. He had some really tough lessons to teach me to give me the tools I needed to be the best mother I can be. Not long after my son was born, I came across James 1:3 and I understood it more fully than ever before:

"Knowing this..that the trying of your faith worketh patience."

That verse serves as my reminder that my season of waiting taught me to trust God first and to be patient in His timing.

Thank you for this beautiful post. May God richly bless you!

October 29, 2008 at 10:00 AM  
Blogger lori said...

You KNOW how I feel about this one...;) thanks girlfriend...

peace,
lori

October 29, 2008 at 12:49 PM  
Blogger Leaon Mary said...

Hi Cindy,
What a great lesson on "waiting," for me today. I don't "wait," well.
In fact, I stink at it.

King David wrote in Psalm 139, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. ~~~~ THIS is what got me today. I'm not one to ask God to "TEST" ME.... COZ I'M PRETTY SURE HE WILL! YA KNOW?

I'm really glad I read this today. I know it wasn't a coincidental "read."

Blessings, and PATIENCE...
Lea

October 29, 2008 at 3:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks everyone for your encouraging comments today :)

I'm on this waiting journey with you.

October 29, 2008 at 5:09 PM  
Blogger Julie said...

I too waited for my first child, crying every month when I started my period.

Waiting has never really been my favorite thing to do.

I am reading a great book by Alicia Britt Chole titled "Anonymous". In it she talks of Jesus' hidden years.
90 % of his life was lived in obscurity. He waited for 30 years to step into what His Papa had for him. As I've read this book I've come to appreciate more those waiting years of my life.

Thanks for sharing your heart.
Julie

October 29, 2008 at 8:55 PM  
Blogger Aunt Angie said...

Cindy...I think I stay in His waiting room...but not for children...to be fixed of other things. BUT He always calls my name...eventually.
I loved this post. I also was so incredibly blessed by your testimony.

October 30, 2008 at 1:51 PM  
Blogger LauraLee Shaw said...

I spend time on and off in the waiting room. Seems the Lord often has to take me there to get my full attention, because I'm an easily distracted and busy daughter. I recently spent some time there while waiting to make a major decision about priorities. It was worth the wait to hear what He had to say to me. Thank you for this wonderful post and for sharing your personal testimony.

October 30, 2008 at 4:47 PM  

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