Working in the Waiting
Late last week I was sitting at the kitchen table working on my computer when my middle came barreling around the corner. “Momma!! I’m really really really really really really really [I could keep going, but know there were about 27 more added for his emphasis here…] REALLY hungry.” I glanced up at the clock. It was getting close to supper time, and I replied, “Okay, Buddy, Momma is about to start supper.” Seemingly satisfied, he darted back towards his room.
Approximately two whole minutes passed, during which I had gotten up, preheated the oven, checked my prepared pan of food in the fridge to make sure it was ready to cook, and put something in the microwave ready to reheat. And then sat back down at my computer. He comes back. “Momma! I’m really really really [you get it] REALLY hungry!” “Yes, Bud, I’m working on supper.” He stares at me as if I have three heads and sees that I clearly don’t appear to be covered in flour slaving over pots with my apron tied around my back. “You’re cooking it?” “Yes, Buddy, I’m cooking it. I will let you know when it’s ready.” A bit more skeptical he runs back to his room.
Five minutes pass. I have put the pan in the oven and begun to reheat the microwave items, and I am sitting back at my computer. Once again, Middle comes peering around the corner and proceeds to trek through his mantra once again. I cut him off and say, “Bud, I told you I was cooking it. It won’t be much longer, and I will let you know when it’s ready.”
In full disclosure, this back and forth continued until I finally called that supper was ready. And I said “late last week” but the same scenario could have been mentioned from last month, last year, or seven Mondays in a row. Seriously, kid, do you not trust me by now that I WILL give you supper! Just trust me! I’ll do what I said I was going to do!
Wait, what?
Doesn’t that sound all too familiar when you frame it into a different perspective? God, are you going to fix this problem? God, don’t you see I have this need? God, don’t you remember you said you would take care of this? God, why aren’t you doing anything? God, God, God, GOD!!!
Ohhhhh how closely that hits home. Because you see, just as my middle did not trust that I was working while he was waiting, I often find myself in that same boat. I am anxiously waiting to see God move and when I don’t see Him slaving to make it happen, when I don’t see the instant effects of His efforts, when what He told me doesn’t line up with what I am looking at… Well, I find myself needing to remind Him how I really really really really really really [need I continue?] need Him to come through. When, most of the time, He’s already well on His way to working it out. He already has a plan. He’s already gotten out the ingredients. He’s already preheated the oven. He’s already started cooking up something incredible to meet my every need. So maybe I should just trust Him. Maybe I should remember all the times He’s laid supper out on the table before me, and it far exceeded my expectations.
Maybe, just maybe, I can rely on the fact that He’s working in my waiting. Even when I can’t see it. I can have faith. I can trust. And I can KNOW that He will do what He said He’s going to do. Every time. He is working in my waiting…
