The Waiting Room

The Waiting Room dan skognes motivation blogger speaker teacher trainer coach educatorI was in an office this week doing some consulting work. As I walked out, I ran into an old friend. He said, “I have something for you. It will explain what my wife and I have been through.” It was called In the Waiting. His wife wrote about the stress and testing of their faith when they had twins, and one of them was severely handicapped. Just the first chapter of the book had me going, “WOW, I have no problems.”

Then I went to church on Sunday and the very first praise song has a chorus that says, “He’s in the waiting!” I literally sat there in the service and thought, “OK, God. I get it. Somebody needs to hear this message.” So, whoever you are, this message is for you.

Nobody wants to be in the waiting room. We are there expecting something but not really knowing when it is going to happen. When is the Doctor going to come out and tell us the prognosis? When is the mechanic going to tell us the bad news? Life has many waiting rooms for us, and sometimes it is years that we have been waiting for something to change for the positive. “When, God? When will you give us some relief?”

Here is the answer from God. You want to know what it is? “I will give you an answer in my time. In the meantime, I am with you.” He is in the waiting WITH us. He is there with you as you try to make sense of the craziness of life. He is there through the tears and He is there to calm your fears. Trust Him. Know that He will help you through this if you let Him. Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Matthew 28:20 says: “….And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The biggest problem we seem to face is we want an answer and we want it NOW. Here is the reality. It is never just about you or me. It is always about others as well. The one takeaway I hope will help and encourage you is that God’s timing is not ours, but His timing is perfect. Believe it. It is OK to have doubts and fears, just don’t hold on to them. Give them to the Lord and leave them there. 1 Peter 5:7 says: “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” He can carry all those things that are weighing you down. Give them to Him. Walk with Him. Trust Him. Praise Him in the waiting room. Your answer IS coming. The longer you have been waiting, the closer you are to your breakthrough!

There is something truly magical when people get this and receive it. It is like the lightbulb going on over their head; that “Aha” moment that we all need to come to. We wonder: “Why we did not get that before?” Let go, and let God. May God’s perfect Shalom cover you in your waiting room.

Dan Skognes

 

16 Responses to “The Waiting Room”

  1. Cristina says:

    Thank you! You just told me what I really need to know. God bless you!

  2. Pam Reynolds says:

    I needed these words and the reminder that I am not alone. I was in tears before I finished the post. Thank you and God Bless
    Pam

  3. Cliff R. Loriot, PhD says:

    Thank you, Dan. It took me 19 years and a life of developing one disability after another to accept the fact that I am right where God wants me right now. I am finally content with doing what I am doing now rather than being frustrated because “my dreams” haven’t been fulfilled.

    It has also made my relationship with my wife better because I am no longer constantly barraging her with my desire to be somewhere else doing something else. Up until the last three or four months, her life has been miserable because our 40-year marriage was always about me–about what I wanted.

    There’s an old saying: “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” However, there’s something still missing. You can’t make lemonade without sugar. If you do, it doesn’t make life any better. All you’ve done is watered down the experience of sucking the sour lemon juice directly from the lemon.

    So what is the sugar in this figurative lemonade? Thankfulness. You can be thankful because you know that what has happened comes from a Sovereign God who loves you and has your best interests in mind. He’s brought it into your life to make you a stronger, purer, or more compassionate person.

    Thank you again.

    Cliff

    • Dan Skognes says:

      Cliff, I agree. Gratitude is a key component to having peace and purpose. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

      • Cliff R. Loriot, PhD says:

        Thank you, Dan.

        As a dissertation committee reader, I had decided to pursue a Specialized Certificate in Copyediting at the University of Californa San Diego | Extension in order to make myself a more efficient, proficient, and compassionate reader.

        This week is the last week of the second course, Copyediting I. Interestingly enough, a week ago today I landed my first for-profit freelance job copyediting the final draft for a PhD candidate. I am really exicted and thankful, not only for the pure enjoyment I expect to receive in performing the project, but also for the added income. We really need it.

        Thanks again. And I agree with how you worded your repsonse: “Gratitude is a key … ,” with the emphasis on “a.” Real, lasting peace lies in being rightly related to Jesus Christ.

        • Dan Skognes says:

          Congrats on the new job. No argument with Jesus being number 1.

          • Cliff R. Loriot, PhD says:

            Thanks again, Dan, but don’t you have anything better to do than sit around and wait for people to reply to your comments? I hope you know I’m being facetious.

            And just for that, I’ll reveal to you an acronym I created about a year ago, and which I only reveal to my friends. It helps curb the tendency to want to respond to someone’s post, email, Twit, etc.

            The acronym is NNTR (No Need To Respond). NNTR.

          • Cliff R. Loriot, PhD says:

            Which, of course, arises from the desire to get in the last word. NNTR.

  4. Dan Skognes says:

    NNTR….but wait…that IS a response. LOL

  5. Anne Small says:

    Thanks again for sharing information that is so honest and uplifting. I have always prayed that my children would use the gifts and abilities that God gave them to they serve their purpose and have a fulfilled life. All of the stuff in the world really doesn’t matter.