Waiting on God
PEOPLE wait all the time. We wait in lines; we wait to get home. We wait in suspense, and sometimes we wait for no reason at all. Some waiting is good. How many times have we been reminded of the virtues of patience? But some waiting is wasteful. It's the mere passage of time with no results to show for it.
Waiting shouldn't be a do-nothing time but an opportunity to discover better ideas that will bring progress. Right action begins with right ideas, and good ideas come from God. By listening more intently to God, we can prevent unproductive waiting.
We often think of ourselves as waiting for certain things to happen or for particular people to make decisions, but isn't our ultimate goal the establishment of peace, health, joy, harmony? Because these are spiritual qualities, they aren't dependent on material circumstances. They are eternal and ever present because they have their source in God, infinite Spirit. We may find ourselves waiting for a deeper satisfaction within. This can be gained now, without delay, for God and all His goodness are present. Wasn't this a fundamental message of Christ Jesus, who proclaimed, ``The kingdom of heaven is at hand'' (Matthew 4:17).
The best things in life don't come from mere waiting, but from active prayer. They are discovered in a spiritual understanding of God's unqualified love and provision for man.
Driving home from work one evening, I found myself tense and anxious over the sale of our home. I was changing jobs and was scheduled to move three thousand miles away. To move, we needed to sell our house, but it was located in an area of the country mired in recession.
As I listened carefully to God, I began to see a much greater need than finding a buyer. I needed to understand more clearly that our family's happiness and ability to thrive were dependent on God, not someone else. God supplies mankind's needs in an infinite number of ways, and my job was not to outline humanly what form this supply should take but to know it was already present and appropriate. I needed to wait on God--not with a blind faith but with an understanding of God's constant care and guidance. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, ``When we wait patiently on God and seek Truth righteously, He directs our path'' (p. 254). Knowing God was leading the way, we had nothing to fear.
To wait on God was to continue following His guidance as we had always done, and to know each day's needs would be taken care of in a timely way. As the Psalmist says, ``My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him'' (Psalms 62:5). Everything good was already within our reach--in God, ever- present good. Our lives couldn't be put on hold. We didn't have to wait for something to happen in the future before we could feel peace and joy. It's man's very nature to express such qualities, for man is the reflection, or image, of God, expressing all His attributes. We can increasingly demonstrate this true nature, and waiting on God is a good way to start!
As my family prepared for our move, we put doubt and concern aside, confidently trusted our welfare to the care of God, and remained productively and usefully occupied. To the surprise of many, our house sold quickly, and we were able to move promptly.
Putting God first doesn't neglect basic needs but ensures they're met in the best way for all concerned. Waiting on God is the most fundamental need of all, and this is one kind of waiting we can actually enjoy!
