The Waiting Room - December, 2014

It had been sitting on my closet shelf for years. Each time I cleaned, it got dusted. Finally, I decided to get it out of my closet, but the only way to do that was to read it -- a woman's devotional book. I have to admit that I have a terrible aversion to women's devotional books. They always ask how you "feel" about this or that. I'm a "fact" person much more than I am a "feel" person, and I usually have no answer to these questions.

At the end of one chapter was this prayer.  

Dear Heavenly Father, it seems easy to run to You when I'm in trouble, but I'll admit right now that I have no affection for the waiting room. Please help me to keep on trusting You when things don't go like I think they should. You've been so faithful in the past. Help me to concentrate on the mighty things You've done before, both in my life and in my heart and in the lives of others. Please provide the patience and peace of mind I'll need while I "wait" for Your direction, and use my attitude and the circumstances of my life to bring honor and glory to You. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

In some of Sally Clarkson's books she talks about waiting, and how we are to wait, but the phrase, "use my attitude and the circumstances of my life to bring honor and glory to You" made me stop and think. In my waiting, I am usually just concentrated on me and my family -- how we are growing and changing and trusting. This reminded me about the bigger picture. That the circumstances of my life should bring honor and glory to God.

Sometimes my life circumstances aren't very fun, but when I remember that my attitude and response toward my circumstances should bring honor and glory to God, it helps me to have a better perspective, and maybe I'm doing a better job of waiting.