Three hours.
That’s right. Yesterday I spent almost three hours at the DMV. Talk about a line! All that time spent and all I had to do was turn in a form, write a check and get my picture taken.
They told me the wait time was one hour. Not so bad, I thought. But then one hour turned into two and two hours turned into almost three…..And there I was
waiting…
waiting…
waiting……
For me it was an exercise in patience. But for others it was a day of celebration. A milestone.
I wish you could have seen the smiles on the 15 year olds getting their permits and the 16 year olds hearing the words “you passed!”. Honestly, just seeing their wide eyes and broad grins was almost worth the wait. They were adorable.
But still, waiting isn’t all that fun, is it? It can seem like a waste of time. A joy killer. A MAJOR inconvenience. And it is. But it’s just part of life. So instead of becoming frustrated – which is what I have done way too many times – I decided to go with the flow. I mean seriously, was I going to single-handedly change the state of California’s Department of Motor Vehicles by pitching a temper tantrum over the wait time (even if only in my own little brain)?
I was not.
So. I waited. Patiently.
And it wasn’t so bad. In fact here’s a list of the things I did while waiting:
1. ate my lunch
2. worked on my laptop, finishing a talk for Friday
3. closed my eyes and rested (a pillow and a blanket would have been nice at this point)
4. read my Bible
5. people watched
6. prayed
Sometimes God is like the state of California’s DMV. He makes you wait.
When you think His wait time is an hour or two it isn’t so bad. But then the waiting lingers on and we can become frustrated. Irritated. Down right mad.
“Come on God, what’s taking you so long?” we think.
“Why is God taking so long to answer my prayer?”
“Why is God taking so long to provide work?”
“Why is God taking so long to heal my marriage?”
And on it goes…
Waiting isn’t fun but waiting can have it’s purpose. Maybe it’s a test. Maybe God’s timing isn’t ours because only He can see the future. Maybe it’s so we will slow down and get our priorities in line. Maybe it’s to help us see beyond ourselves. Maybe it’s to force us to depend upon Him rather than ourselves.
For sure, it’s to develop our character.
But whatever the reason, two things are for sure:
1. You can’t fight the DMV.
2. You can’t fight God.
But you can rest while you wait. You can slow down and watch what is going on around you. You can focus on others. You can work and read and pray and prepare for what’s coming after the wait.
Because eventually the waiting ends. Our number is called. We write the check. We take the picture. And we wait no more.
Are you in God’s waiting room today? Take a deep breath, say a prayer and remember that the waiting won’t last forever.
Take it from me – DMV number G282.
“Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.” Is. 63:4
