Are You Waiting in God’s Waiting Room?

Written by Lillian Penner

Is God teaching you something while you are waiting for an answer from Him?  Are you listening to Him? Do you pray for patience?

Recently my husband and I were waiting for a connecting flight in a large airport. Our first flight arrived early enough to be able to request an earlier “standby flight” for our last leg of the trip home. We had already been in the airport about five hours and we were anxiously waiting for our “standby status” to be cleared. As weary travelers, we didn’t want to wait three more hours for our reserved flight. We prayed and waited while we watched the monitor for our “stand-by” clearance. Finally, the agent gave us clearance to board the plane.

This scenario reminded me of my prayer life. Many times, I have to wait and “standby” for God’s answer. God doesn’t always answer my prayers immediately when I pray and I have to wait in God’s waiting room for a while. Our society has conditioned us to expect immediate results. We find it very difficult to wait for anything.

In I John 5:14 we read, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” God always hears our prayers for our needs, desires, or wishes. Yet He may not be ready to answer them. While we are in God’s waiting room He may want to build our character, teach us patience, or it may not be the right time for the prayer to be answered. Spiritual growth may take place in our lives while we are learning to trust Him for the answer.

We must ask, wait, and trust Him for the answers to our prayers. He may answer our prayers more abundantly than we can ask, in His timing. Paul tells us in Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

Isn’t it wonderful that we can have the privilege of leaving our needs, concerns, and wishes with the Lord? Ask Him for patience as you wait for Him to answer.

Dear Lord, thank you for the promise in your Word that You hear my prayers when I pray. Teach me the things You want me to learn while I am waiting. Give me patience as I wait for You to accomplish Your will. Help me to trust You for Your timing while I wait for You to answer more abundantly than I have asked.     Amen.

Questions: Are you sitting in God’s waiting room for an answer to your prayers right now?  What is the Lord teaching you while you wait?

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Lillian Penner

Lillian Penner and her husband, John have been married for 49 years and currently reside in Oregon. They have three married sons and nine grandchildren. Lillian has been active in church ministry for 45 years and has led a “Heart to Heart” mentoring program for women,participated in a short term missions trip to Ukraine, and volunteersfor several Christian ministries. Currently, she participates in the leadership of a women’s Bible study in her home church and is the National Prayer Coordinator for Christian Grandparenting Network.

http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2008/11/21/are-you-waiting-in-god%E2%80%99s-waiting-room/