9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
Galatians chapter 6, verses 9 and 10; from the New Living Translation (NLT)
How well do you handle “waiting”? Waiting is just another part of living on this third rock from the sun. It happens every day. We find ourselves waiting for someone or something. Me??? Well, it just depends on my mood at the time. That ought to tell us something about our feelings! Traffic lights, doctor’s offices, at the drive-thru lane, while seated at a restaurant, the cable repair technician–and the worst of all–waiting for the next available customer service representative. But that’s just trivial stuff–though it doesn’t feel like it at the time.
No, I speaking about the current quandary in the United Methodist Institution and that Paragraph 2553. For those not in our Tribe, it defines how to disaffiliate from what has become nefarious. Annual Conferences have defined a process in order to be set free from what can only be described by me as the twenty first century Titanic. Many of my Wesleyan-hearted sisters and brothers have finished the process and have been granted freedom. Well, except those 3 in the Arkansas Annual Conference. (Read my satirical take on that situation here) And there are still many others, like myself, waiting for the moment we can leave Egypt.
So, what do we do when we are waiting in this season of disaffiliation? Well, we can do what we do when waiting at a traffic light. We can fret and stew. Then stew and fret; as if that will make the light change quicker. Lord knows I’ve done a lot of that–not just at traffic lights but while I’m sitting in this quagmire. But I’ve noticed I’m not the only one fretting and stewing. Now, my fellow Wesleyan Hearted friends who are fretting and stewing, don’t be offended at what I am about to write. I’m directing it at me as much as I am you. What good has been accomplished by all our fretting and stewing–anger and frustrations?
It has achieved as much as fretting and stewing changes a traffic light, or for the nurse to call us back to the examining room. Absolutely nothing positive–but it has done a lot of harm to us and the people around us! But The Spirit has given me something else to do until December 10 when hopefully I will be set free. It happened Saturday morning as I was sitting on my front porch doing my usual morning worship time. I have my favorite playlists, but Saturday morning–for some reason unknown to me but known to The Holy Spirit–I allowed my app to select some music.
It sounded unfamiliar at the time to me–but it also sounded familiar at the time. Crazy, huh? Oh, you want to know the name of the song. It was While I’m Waiting written and sung by John Waller. I looked it up, and found out why it sounded familiar. It was in the soundtrack of the movie Fireproof. It was the chorus of this powerful song that reminded me that God wanted me to do something in the waiting other than fretting and stewing. And it’s what we all need to do. Here are the lyrics to the chorus:
While I’m waiting I will serve You
by John Waller; © Capitol CMG Publishing, Songs Of Mojo, LLC
While I’m waiting I will worship
While I’m waiting I will not faint
I’ll be running the race even while I wait
Wesleyan Hearted friends. These are the 4 things God wants of us in this season of waiting–and in EVERY season of life. Serve Him. Worship Him. Don’t faint! And keep on running the race, even while we wait. It will do a lot more for us than fretting and stewing. It has definitely helped my perspective. And who knows–maybe it will do something for another person who is waiting. And here’s the song:
Kingdom Pastor 
radical thought: if the church you attend or serve in no longer believes or teaches what you believe or teach, for whatever reason… and the breach is irreparable or irreconcilable, you don’t need to “wait”. just get up and walk out the doors. i know this can be hard and difficult given the amount of time, talent and even ‘treasure’ or reputation you have ‘invested’. but really… don’t wait. just get up and walk right out the doors. it’s ok. it’s even more than ok. in most cases where “too far” has already come and gone into the rear view mirror… it’s the healthiest and most jesus-like thing you can do. -barabbas
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Pastor Randy, I have found that I am a much better waiter (not waitress 😏) since I’ve retired and committed to praying about certain things daily. If at home, it takes me at least an hour to cover everything, but when I’m out and about, I pray in the car, in the waiting room, and anywhere else that doesn’t demand my full attention. Often I’m still “working on it” at midnight. (Late nights are a side effect of being ADD AND OCD.🙄) As for the big stuff, such as wishing Jesus would come back TODAY, I only have to think of my lost loved ones, and I (usually) stop whining and get to work. I learned long ago as a wife that nagging will get me nowhere.
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Thanks for hanging in there brother. I am praying with you while you wait.
Shalom!
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Brother Randy, your post today reminds me not of the lyrics of a song but rather words from scriptures. “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning it’s shame, and sat down at the right hand of God. consider him who ENDURED SUCH OPPOSITION FROM SINNERS, so that you will not GROW WEARY AND LOSE HEART.” (Hebrews 12:1b.-3)
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