Connecting Columbia Union Seventh-day Adventists

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March 10, 2021: God’s Waiting Room

“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord” (Ps. 27:14, NLT).

I feel like the more I serve God, the more encounters I have in His waiting room. This is where I learn to be courageous and wait on Him even when my circumstances say otherwise. In the process of waiting, I have realized that, without faith, it is impossible to wait patiently for the Lord, especially when it seems He is tied up with someone else’s emergency.

After my studies, God blessed me with a part-time job, yet it was a struggle to take care of my family’s basic expenses. My wife and I presented our scarcity and situation to God while we waited on Him. We kept praying and waiting for me to secure a full-time job, but it didn’t happen. In God’s great mercy, He provided a job for my wife. Together, our income was just enough to take care of our needs.

Despite God’s blessings, I was still arguing with Him for a full-time job. I could not understand what God was doing in my life. And then COVID-19 struck. Many of my co-workers were furloughed, but God kept my part-time job.

Many families were in a dilemma because schools went virtual for the rest of the school year. My part-time job was a blessing in disguise because it created an opportunity for my wife and me to alternate so that our sons could be supervised at home. At the moment, the wait seemed like a curse, but looking back it was a blessing. There are, indeed, blessings in our waiting.

God, may we choose You always. Amen.

Dale Walton is a staff chaplain at the Troy Hospital for Kettering Adventist HealthCare in Ohio.

 

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To help you dig deeper into God’s Holy Word this year, we’re offering:

  • Every Month—This calendar, themed “Words of Life,” coincides with the devotional book and videos. It features a biblical topic and verse each month, with additional passages for further exploration, study and ideas on how to apply the concepts in your daily life.