Song: "While I'm Waiting"
Singer: John Waller
From: Fireproof, the movie
This week features a song from the movie Fireproof, with Kirk Cameron. Directed and produced by the Kendrick Brothers (Facing the Giants, Courageous) this movie is a family favorite. In short, it tells the story of Caleb and Catherine, a married couple, struggling in their marriage. When divorce seems inevitable, gradually, Caleb's heart for his wife changes. I won't tell you how (though the video gives some spoilers). If you've not seen the film, I recommend it!
This song comes at about the halfway point through the film and while the context is waiting on the Lord to restore Caleb and Catherine's hearts and marriage - it can be applied to all other areas and times of our lives where we are called to wait. My family re-watched this film for the first time in a while recently, where I was reminded of this song.
I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait
How easy it is to get impatient with Our Lord - yet, when we get to heaven, I wonder how foolish our worrying will seem, as we are able to peer outside of time and realize how He orchestrated everything according to His plan. We've probably all heard this before. But how many times have we actually taken it to heart?
As we wait... for a relationship to heal... for loved ones to come to Christ... God does not promise us that when we believe in Him, our lives will be without pain. Only that when pain comes, we have a firm foundation in which to place our trust and hope.
Even further, the song points out, these times of waiting are often painful in themselves. We see ourselves where we want to be, where we are sure the Lord is leading us to be, but still remain in the routine of every day life. For example, as I wait for the adoption of my two sisters to be completed, how I long to have them home already! Our girls are part of our family! Even though it might not make sense to some, imagine it this way: When a family adopts, they love a child like their own. Imagine being separated from your son and daughter for months while you work to bring them home.
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
Whatever we are waiting for, it is what we do in this time of waiting that matters.
I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
How quickly we can lose our motivation while we wait; how quickly we forget why we started praying, seeking, searching fervently with the Lord in the first place. Yet, it is in these times where God calls us closer to Himself. In order to draw closer, we must move ahead, pressing on with the goal given to us.
Like Joseph or Abraham, who were given a vision and held onto the promises of God, even when they could not see them. Surely Joseph did not see himself sold into slavery by his own brothers, far from home, to a foreign people and place. Reflecting on his suffering, what we may be facing today seems smaller in comparison.
Or like Noah, who listened to God and not man, when he was instructed to build an ark. Though his neighbors jeered and called him foolish, he moved ahead, trusting the Lord's instruction. As he waited for the rain to come, he remained steadfast - realizing, in the end, listening to God's voice was more important than becoming discouraged by others.
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I think this song is an excellent reminder that we should not become complacent in our times of waiting - in our relationship with the Lord and with others. Oftentimes, when we aren't seeing God move as we would like Him to, our tendency may be to complain, to turn to Him in frustration. When we do so, we miss the opportunity to grow in our relationship with Him and to draw upon our only source of true joy and strength.
My dad Brian is the wisest, most selfless man I know. He will be the first to tell you that in times of waiting, whether it is for the next part of the adoption process, for the next step of development for one of our girls, he continually turns to the Word of God, to be "transformed by the renewing of your mind." It is this constant communion with the Lord in the midst of every day life, that gives him a spirit of worship, rather than a spirit of discontentment. By focusing on worshiping his Savior, as my dad tells audiences when he speaks to audiences as the director of Ting Ministries, that in response, the Lord changes his heart to become more willing to serve others and care for the Least of These.
If we only looked at waiting as a gift more often than we complain about the delay, what might the Lord be able to accomplish through us?
Final thought: God has placed us where we are for a reason. While we see our end goal, the Lord sees every step along the path. He places people in our lives, perhaps in these times of waiting, so that we are able to focus on showing Christ to them. Yet, if we are only impatient to get through the waiting, we may miss the very people He placed in our path to serve. Are you missing someone today?
No comments:
Post a Comment