This past Christmas, with all the craziness going on in our family surrounding our daughter and son-in-law’s move to our town, we had to delay our family Christmas until the middle of January. When we told Aaron that we would be having Christmas in January, he replied in his matter-of-fact way.
“But we open presents on December 25th,” he stated.
“Well, yes, we usually do but this year no one will be here on that day,” I replied.
We had this conversation several times over the next few days. Finally, we came to a compromise. Aaron would open two presents on Christmas day and save the rest for our family celebration in January.
Christmas morning (the REAL Christmas morning) came. Aaron was very excited about opening his two gifts. Gary and I were relishing our slow, relaxed morning. However, Aaron was not on the same page as we were.
Finally, his patience was wearing thin. He told me to get ready so he could open his two Christmas presents. I told him to wait and not rush me.
“Mom!!” he said, “why do you want me to wait slow?!”
I’ve thought about his description of waiting slow. I think we all have situations in life that seem like they’re dragging on forever. Times that we seem stuck with no answers…no way out.
We wonder why God is silent…or at least He seems to be.
“God, I’ve prayed and prayed about this. Why do You want me to wait slow for Your answer?”
But sometimes the waiting slow IS God’s answer. For in the place of waiting, God has so much to teach us.
The Apostle Paul knew this truth. In his second letter to the Corinthian church, he told the believers there that he had been so burdened and afflicted that he despaired for his life. He was beyond any remaining strength. He felt the sentence of death within himself.
Why?
Why would God allow such a faithful servant of Paul to endure this prolonged suffering? Well, Paul tells us why.
“…so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God Who raises the dead…He on Whom we have set our hope.” (II Corinthians 1:9-10)
When God puts His children in life’s waiting rooms, He has a good purpose in mind for us.
It is in the waiting that we see our need for God.
It is in the waiting that we learn a deeper trust.
It is in the waiting that we learn to praise God despite our suffering.
And it is in the waiting that we learn where to place our hope.
I talked not long ago to a husband who is caring for his wife with Alzheimer’s. They are far too young to be enduring this sadness. Yet his attitude was one of surrender to God’s plan instead of what his plan had been for their retirement years. He sees his care for her as the ministry that God has for him at this time in his life. He has learned where to place his hope.
There is a dear family here whose husband/dad has been on the heart transplant list but since he has had some strokes, he is no longer eligible for transplant. It was a gut punch. But God did open the door for him to be transferred to the #1 rehab hospital in the country. After being rejected by so many other rehab hospitals, God opened this one at just the right time. His wife said, “I am thankful for the prayers that God chooses to answer differently from what I expect. It’s just learning to continue to have the faith that He knows what He is doing.” In waiting slow, she has learned a deeper trust.
The point is, when we are waiting slow it’s so important not to place our hope in whatever answer we want from God, but instead to place our hope in God Himself.
He will do what is best, in His time. We can trust Him to do that!
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14)
He Said What?! 
What a very deep and rich post and a great reminder about the importance of surrendering our expectations of how (and when!) God should move in our lives. “Waiting slow” sure captures what it feels like in the process!
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Thank you, Kara. Aaron’s unusual phrasing so often carry rich meaning to me. I appreciate your comment.
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What a great quote by Aaron! Patience is a virtue and waiting with a calm heart is something we should all strive to do. The four purposes you’ve cited for being held in God’s waiting rooms were inspiring. Thank you. 🙂
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Thank you so much, Nancy. Waiting with that calm heart is something I don’t always do. Sometimes God uses Aaron to teach me the lessons I am needing the most.
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Sometimes Aaron speaks such wisdom! And you are so right, Patty. There are many wonderful lessons to learn as we wait slow. Thank you for the heart-touching reminder!
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Aaron doesn’t handle waiting slow with patience or much grace most of the time, but then so often I don’t either when it comes to waiting slow in God’s timing. Aaron is such an object lesson to me in so many ways. Thanks for reading!
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“when we are waiting slow it’s so important not to place our hope in whatever answer we want from God, but instead to place our hope in God Himself.” Amen!
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It’s a lesson I have to re-learn over and over, it seems. Thanks for reading, Dawn.
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Patty, I’m sure everyone in our Western microwave culture has struggled with patience in some area of life. Your spiritual analogy on Aaron’s expression is a precious and powerful truth!
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Thank you, Manette. I know I struggle with patience sometimes so Aaron’s words spoke to me a lot. God uses him to teach me a lot, that’s for sure.
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Oh, thank you so much for this!
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Such an important reminder and encouragement.
I love your words here: “But sometimes the waiting slow IS God’s answer. For in the place of waiting, God has so much to teach us.”
“The point is, when we are waiting slow it’s so important not to place our hope in whatever answer we want from God, but instead to place our hope in God Himself.”
❤️❤️❤️
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This is a spiritual lesson I continue to need to learn over and over. Thank you for reading, Alicia.
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This was such a wonderful post and I am glad it came at Easter. We do learn much in God’s waiting rooms…We learn to be patient and to trust ‘God’s ways above our ways.’ He has the blueprint and the finished copy in hand. His plans so greatly exceed anything we could ever come up with on our own. (Isaiah 55: 8-9) The Master Builder and Planner has our best interests at heart. Happy Easter!
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Great insights, Linda! I love how you said that God has the finished copy in hand. He has written the book of my life already. Thank you, Linda!
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Wishing you blessings at Easter!
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Great post, as always! I have selected Psalm 27:14 for the verse of the day for Tuesday, 4/16. I quoted from this post and provided a link to your site. Thank you for writing! God bless you today, Patty!
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Thank you, Cindy! I appreciate that.
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So powerful Patty! I had to sit on this one for a moment to let the full impact to sink in. Too often I focus on the answer rather than the God who gives in abundance and goodness in His timing. “The point is, when we are waiting slow it’s so important not to place our hope in whatever answer we want from God, but instead to place our hope in God Himself.” Thank you for taking yet another profound Aaron statement. Happy Easter!
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Thank you, Beth, and I hope you had a very happy Easter.
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