In January, my husband and I will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. We have decided to celebrate our 10 years of wedded bliss by going on a cruise at the first of February. In case you are wondering, that’s 6 months away. I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas to come. I have been on a cruise, but it was 13 years ago. My husband has never been on a cruise or out of the United States. We are both about to explode with excitement!
You may remember from my last two articles, I have talked about going to the gym in order to be stronger. We are also going to the gym to get cruise ready. At the time of the cruise, I will be 43 and the term “beach body” at 43 means something completely different than it did when I was 23. Honestly, at this point, I just want my knees strong enough to walk the cruise ship.
Learning to wait is a skill that we all need to work on, no matter what our age may be. While waiting, you can choose to sit back, do nothing, and just let it come to you — or you can actively wait. Active waiting is good for your mind, body, and soul. There are numerous examples in the Bible of people who actively waited for events to happen in their lives.
In 1 Samuel 1:1-20, we learn the story of Hannah. Hannah desperately wanted a child. She prayed and pleaded with God to give her a child. She promised God in her prayer that if given a son, she would dedicate her son to a life of service to God. God heard Hannah’s plea and gave her a son; she named her son Samuel, which means, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” Hannah kept her promise to God, and once her child was old enough, she gave him back to the Lord so he could live a life of service. Samuel went on to be a great leader for Israel.
Job waited patiently for the Lord in spite of horrible pain and suffering. Job was tested far beyond what most of us can even imagine. He lost his wealth, family, health, and friends. But despite all of this, he never gave up on his faith or lost hope in God. Because of Job’s great faith, God gave him more fortune than he had before he lost everything.
Another beautiful example of waiting graciously comes to us from Esther. Esther was put in an impossible situation when she was forced to go to the king’s palace, along with all the other young women, to be put through tests to see who would become the new queen. Esther won the favor of the king and was chosen to be queen. She risked her life by approaching the king, when God made the time right, to asked for him to save the Jewish people. One of my favorite verses comes from the book of Esther and speaks to knowing when to wait and then act at the right time. “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14
Waiting can be a beautiful thing if you allow it to be. Learn to wait actively. Learn to listen to the Lord’s guidance as you wait. He will guide you down the correct path, and the wait will be totally worth it.
This week’s recipe is a super yummy cauliflower salad that pairs perfectly with chicken, salmon, or steak. It is great for the end of the summer BBQs and for a quick side dish for those back-to-school nights. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.
“Therefore, the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore He exalts Himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.” Isaiah 30:18
April 19, 2024
