It is Monday morning. I am sitting in front of my computer with an empty page staring back at me. My column is due Thursday and no inspiration has come for it’s topic. In the past, a memory touches me and I put it into words. This time, I have been waiting and waiting. Nothing. I take a break and go for a run. As I run down a marsh trail, admiring the beauty of God’s world, I realize that the topic needs to be on Waiting.
We are not taught to wait so I don’t wait well. The world tells me to know what I want and to go after it. I am weak if I sit still and wait. God tells me differently. The Bible shows example after example, the value of waiting. Abraham and Sarah wait decades for Isaac to be born. In the Psalms, David beseeches God to show Himself. When God is quiet, David reviews the times God revealed Himself in the past. This helps David put his trust in God again. Because of David’s trust, God works in his life according to His schedule.
God’s timing is impeccable if we have the patience to wait. To wait means to “do nothing expecting something to happen.” You ask, “What does this have to do with travel and feeling God’s presence?” I have found that this trust has to come first, before I can truly feel God’s company.
I want to share with you a couple examples of my waiting. From the moment in which I conceived the concept for Sacred Ground, I wanted to write about Ephesus, Turkey. In some ways, I felt this story should be my first column. I sat down to write it in September 2011 and God stayed my hand. “Write about Chartres,” he said quietly. His words didn’t make sense, but I followed them anyway. Every month after that, I asked, “Now, Father.” “Not, yet,” was the reply.
I was in Spain the week before Christmas and my column was due in a couple weeks. I like to have it written at least a week before my deadline so I can sit with it for a while. A topic was needed and I prayed for God to guide me. That morning, I heard the sad news of Barbara Stevenson’s death. As I thought through her impact on my life, I felt God say, “Now is the time to write about Ephesus and incorporate Barbara’s influence.” With His blessing, I included Barbara.
Now for the rest of the story: since the printing of my column, I have received many emails commenting on Barbara’s life. Most were from people who knew her. Unbeknownst to me, the column was read at her memorial. The people, who most loved her, felt that my comments, coming from a person who barely knew her, spoke of her essence. One of her grandsons who lives in the Charleston area, saw my column first and later thanked me for my remarks.
If I had written my essay in September, I would not have included Barbara. In waiting for God’s direction and timing, I impacted far more people with a testimony of someone who lived the life we are called to live.
My last column, describing my mission trips to Haiti is another example of God’s timing. I felt inspired to write about these experiences last month not knowing that St. Michael’s Episcopal Church was hosting GIC- Global Impact Celebration where 22 missionaries from all over the world gathered to speak along with Chaplain Barry Black of the US Senate and Rev. Dr. Ravi Zacharias. The kick off occurred four days after my column ran. I attended the Ladies Luncheon where we heard first hand what it is like to live as a missionary. God’s Spirit was present for the weeklong event where connections and reconnections were made. Financial contributions for mission work exceeded expectations and we were all reminded of our obligation to help others in need.
Filing each of these accounts in my mind where all the other Proof of Waiting stories exist, I, like King David, will be able to draw on these testimonies when I face another waiting scenario. My hope is that waiting will become easier, but I am not sure. After all, I am only human.
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