Lessons from a Waiting Room - Martin Wiles

Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD. Psalm 27:14 NLT

My wife and I were once frequent flyers at the local emergency room. On one occasion, my wife had unexpected fluid gain and abdominal pain. Her last visit led to a brief stay in the hospital. My visit involved a minor bleeding issue. 

Although we learned some lessons from waiting in the emergency room, both of us agreed we were sick of going there. But I don’t have to visit an emergency room or even a doctor’s office to experience the benefits of waiting. Life is filled with waiting rooms of various sorts. It was when the psalmist wrote the above words. 

In life’s waiting rooms, I’ve learned things don’t often happen as quickly as I wish. This predicament develops what the psalmist calls patience—a worthy virtue but not one that’s always enjoyable to develop. A typical emergency room stay in our small town is four hours. As much as one hour in the waiting room itself and then three more waiting on doctors and nurses to do what they are going to do. 

Waiting rooms have also taught me that life is unfair. When I see people who don’t have and can’t afford insurance. When I see people who’ve been abused by others or who’ve had crimes committed against them. And when I see people addicted to drugs who are making a visit to get a pain fix. Or when I see bodies mangled by wrecks. 

But waiting rooms should develop compassion in me. When I see and hear about the various conditions that bring people in for emergency care, my heart reaches out to them. I wish I could intervene. I thank God for his grace that has kept me from being in a similar situation.

Additionally, in the waiting room, I learned that unfortunate situations often get better. Yes, some die in the emergency room, but many more are assisted in a way that eventually leads to their healing. Trials have an end, and God determines it. 

Finally, waiting rooms remind me I affect only a few of my life events. God, however, controls them all, and I must trust him with the trial, the length of the trial, and the outcome. 

When life puts you in the waiting room, take time to learn important life lessons. 

Father, give me the faith to trust you when you allow me to spend time in the waiting room. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

The Inbox That Wouldn’t Change - Matthew Musk

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 NIV

One afternoon, I found myself checking my email for what felt like the tenth time in an hour. I had submitted several writing pitches and hoped for a response. Deep down, I knew no editor was likely to review my work and reply within fifteen minutes, but that didn’t stop me from refreshing my inbox again. Nothing.

The strange thing is that refreshing the screen made me feel productive, even though it changed absolutely nothing. The answer would come when it came. My repeated checking could not speed it up.

Waiting is one of the most difficult parts of the Christian life. We often think of faith as action, but sometimes faith looks more like patience. We pray for guidance, opportunities, healing, or direction. But then we find ourselves staring at what feels like an empty inbox from heaven.

Yet God’s silence is not God’s absence. The psalmist doesn’t simply tell us to wait. He tells us to be strong and take heart while we wait. That means trusting that God is working even when we cannot see immediate results. Just because a door has not opened today does not mean God has forgotten about tomorrow.

Many of us spend our lives trying to refresh circumstances we cannot control. We revisit worries, replay conversations, and reach for answers that have not yet arrived. In doing so, we sometimes miss the work God is already doing in us through the waiting.

Today, instead of asking, “Why hasn’t God answered yet?” consider asking, “What is God teaching me while I wait?” The opportunity may come. The answer may arrive. The door may open.

Until then, trust the one who sees the whole path, even when you can only see the next step.

Identify one area of your life where you are waiting on God. Spend time thanking him for his faithfulness before you see the answer.

Matthew T. Musk writes about faith, everyday life, and the lessons God teaches in unexpected places. His goal is to encourage readers with practical, relatable insights that point them toward Christ. He lives in Michigan with his family and enjoys writing, reading, and finding wisdom in life’s ordinary moments.

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Waiting on God - Abigail Skelton

“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us.” Judges 6:13 NIV

Do you ever feel like you’re just waiting on God? Perhaps you’ve been waiting for months—even years—praying that someday soon will be the day God chooses to step in and answer prayers with a yes instead of a no. 

Gideon was there, too. When the angel of the Lord showed up for a conversation, Gideon wanted an explanation first. 

To Gideon’s confusion (and probably slight annoyance), the angel of the Lord didn’t answer his questions. But the response has inspired countless sermons and songs throughout generations: “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you” (6:14)? 

The Lord’s solution to Gideon’s problem was Gideon. While our situations are often beyond our ability to change—like the death of a loved one or a natural disaster—sometimes the suffering we see is just a challenge to live for God. Maybe there is a relationship in our life that could use some mending. Perhaps we could help those in our community who are in need. God might call us to step out in courage and solve a problem we’ve been praying about.

Fortunately, the angel of the Lord didn’t just leave Gideon to figure things out alone. He assured Gideon he would be with him. What a promise. 

When God calls you to act—whether you’re saving a kingdom or helping a friend—he will accompany you wherever the journey may lead. 

Abigail Skelton is from beautiful Southern Oregon, where she grew up with an avid love for Jesus, chocolate, and writing. She has lived in three countries while involved in missionary work and frequently travels and studies foreign languages. You can connect with Abigail on her website: https://abigailskelton.com.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Under God's Wings - Summer Griffin

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Psalm 91:4 KJV

The smell of coffee didn’t soothe me like usual. I only had twenty minutes left of my free hour and needed at least fifteen of those minutes to drive back to campus from my favorite coffee shop. Why was the barista taking so long? Couldn't she see that I was in a rush?

“C’mon. C’mon,” I mumbled as I checked my phone for the umpteenth time and tried to stop tapping my foot.

A blanket of clouds loomed overhead with the promise of rain. After weeks of nothing, not even a light sprinkling, why did the weather forecast rain during my break? I hate driving in the rain when I can only see a few feet in front of me and have to blindly trust other drivers not to wreck my shoebox of a car. In a college town right next to the beach, finding safe drivers often seems like an impossible task. 

I whispered a prayer. “Lord, please let me get back safely.” But the clouds continued to darken, turning a shade of gray like dove feathers. 

The psalmist doesn’t say what he was hiding from when he ran to God, but his trust in God reminds us that we can always run to God no matter our circumstances.

When we are under God’s wings of protection, we can’t see what storm He shelters us from. But we rely on the promise that He will guide us through all our circumstances. God will cover us with His love and safety; we must trust that truth. How foolish to worry about the rain outside while standing inside His shelter. No storm lasts forever, and when we rest in the shelter of God’s wings, He will carry us to a new and brighter day.

Lord, guide my heart to see Your love and protection in my daily walk with You.

Summer Griffin is a senior college student pursuing a B.A. in Professional Writing. She has taught in children’s Sunday School and Toddler Church. A North Carolina native, she has a deep love for writing, reading, fishing, swimming, and all things family. When she isn’t working or studying, she can be found cheering her brothers on in sports and martial arts.

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Walk-on Wednesday - Waiting Patiently - Martin Wiles

Welcome to Walk-on Wednesday. By Hump Day, we are struggling, but we believe a good devotion can strengthen us to finish the week strong. 

Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised. Hebrews 6:15 NLT

I’m the king of impatient.

While growing up, one of my parents’ and grandparents’ favorite sayings to me was, “That money is burning a hole in your pocket.” They were right. What little money I earned from allowance, I quickly spent. Interestingly, my wants usually occurred somewhere near my birthday or Christmas. I was cautioned about buying things so close to these special days. “Wait and see if you get it for Christmas or your birthday,” they would say. Rarely did I. As I proudly displayed my new purchase, I often witnessed a sigh. Now they would have to think of something else to get me…or even take back what they had already purchased.

God promised Abraham a son through whom millions of descendants would come. Twenty-five years passed from God’s initial promise to the son’s birth. Abraham’s patience was interrupted by his wife’s impatience. She suggested they hurry God along. She gave her servant in marriage to Abraham as a surrogate mother. God wasn’t pleased, but kept his promise.

People say not to pray for patience because I probably won’t like the methods God uses to develop it in me. Nowadays, I rarely do, but I’ve discovered God uses the methods they were referencing anyway. God manufactures patience in me through life experiences that teach me to wait even though the money still burns my leg.

Though we don’t always appreciate the methods God uses to test and develop our patience, the fact that we allow him to use them demonstrates our trust level. His methods are varied, sometimes illogical, and may seem unending, but he sees end results we can’t. Through his mercy-driven tests, we learn to take things in stride without getting angry, upset, or running ahead of him. And to top it off, he produces spiritual growth and maturity so we can be a spiritual guide to those who follow in our footsteps.

How are you responding to God’s efforts to produce patience in your life?

Prayer: Dear Father, give us the patience needed to allow You to accomplish Your plan in our life. 

Tweetable: Have you learned to wait patiently? 

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Waiting…Not Patiently - Martin Wiles

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. Psalm 40:1 NLT

I placed the order…and then waited. What else could I do?

What I did do was mark my calendar four weeks into the future. I wouldn’t get impatient until then. Since deliveries of most things took four to six weeks, I waited until the four-week mark to begin marking off days. Occasionally, things arrived sooner. I checked the mailbox daily and huffed when my item didn’t appear.

What I ordered didn’t matter. Books, magazines, articles of clothing, a knife. In my younger days, nothing came overnight or even next day delivery. And patience was never one of my virtues. Age has helped me develop a little more patience, but I still struggle.

Fortunately, technology has solved my problem … or made it worse, depending on how I look at it. If I want a book, I can get it immediately in Kindle form. If I want something else, chances are Amazon—or some other company—can ship it by the next day if I want to pay extra. Since I struggle with patience, I love what technology has done with delivery times.

Seemingly, the psalmist had learned the art of patience, although we aren’t told his attitude as he waited. The attitude we wait with holds as much importance as the practice of waiting itself.

One thing I’ve discovered about God is that He works according to His timetable, not mine. And He normally works on the four-to-six-week schedule rather than next day delivery. I’m sure helping me develop patience is one of His reasons, but there may be myriad others as well.

At the right time, God will lift us from the despair that often accompanies the waiting. What the psalmist doesn’t say is that the lifting is often a process. And often longer than four to six weeks.

God will help us find solid ground. Yet the ground might shake numerous times before the solid ground ever appears.

God also gives us a new song in our hearts. After we have waited. And normally after we have sung a few off-key notes.

Whatever we wait on, God will come to our aid. In His time. In His way. And when He does, we’ll wonder why we had such a difficult time waiting.

Let God teach you the art of waiting…patiently.

Prayer: Father, teach us to wait on You so we don’t mess up Your plan by getting ahead of You.

Tweetable: How's your waiting? 

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Throwback Tuesday - The Waiting Game - Martin Wiles

The Waiting Game

Series: Practical Advice for Life

Gardening has been one of my favorite pastimes for a number of years. As the warm temperatures of spring make their arrival, I’m always eager to plunge my hands into the dirt. My anxiousness often has its drawbacks. 

Many replanting notches dot my belt, but the end of cold weather guarantees success. Plants grow and seeds sprout. Waiting, however, is the part of gardening I don’t enjoy. Corn kernels may germinate and raise their heads in March, but it’s June before I gnaw on a succulent ear of corn. And tomatoes, squash, beans, and cucumbers take about the same length of time to produce.

Psychologists refer to such a waiting process as delayed gratification. Initial effort is made, but the reward for the effort hangs in the future. Read more...

Tweetable: Are you playing the waiting game...when you'd rather not? 

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The Best Rest - Martin Wiles

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him. Psalm 37:7 NKJV

A good night’s rest is vital for good health, but what if it won’t come?

For sixteen years, I’ve had an erratic sleep pattern. Though I’ve never had a sleep study performed, I attribute it to age and a spastic mind. Lying awake for an hour before going back to sleep is normal. And of course, when I wake up, I must make a trip to the bathroom.

When the alarm sounds, I normally feel as if I haven’t been to bed. Some days, I supplement my restless night with a short lunchtime nap. I suppose the doctor would prescribe medication to help me sleep, but I hesitate to add another medicine to my ever-growing list. I long for the days when I slept an entire night and for the energy I had when I awoke.

Thankfully, there’s an alternate rest that has nothing to do with closing my eyes or entering into a different state of mind. The psalmist classifies it as resting in the Lord and couples it with waiting patiently on Him. This type of rest I can master.

I often associate resting and waiting with inactivity. I rest in my recliner; I wait in the doctor’s waiting room. But I’m normally not inactive while doing either. I read a book, watch television, or look at my iPhone. Resting in the Lord is similar. I rest by not being anxious. I believe He is in control, has a plan for my life, and is actively working to accomplish that plan. My part is to keep doing the last thing He told me until I receive further instructions.

David, the psalmist, was familiar with this type of resting and waiting. God had sent the prophet Samuel to anoint him as the next king of Israel, but it was a number of years before he actually assumed the throne. In the meantime, he kept doing what he had been doing: minding the sheep.

Resting in the Lord and waiting patiently on Him also means realizing God’s timetable is often different than mine. What seems like an eternity to me may only be seconds in God’s mind. His timing involves my readiness, and sometimes it takes long periods of time for me to prepare for what He has in store.

Let God teach you how to enjoy the best rest—whether you sleep well at night or not.

Tweetable: Are you getting enough rest? 

Prayer: Father, teach us to rest in You as we wait patiently for You to accomplish Your best in our lives. 

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Lessons from a Waiting Room - Martin Wiles

Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 NLT

Important lessons can be learned in waiting rooms.

My wife and I have been frequent flyers at the local emergency room lately. We visited for my wife because of unexpected fluid gain and abdominal pain. Her last visit led to a brief stay in the hospital. My visit was due to a minor bleeding issue.

Although we learned some lessons from waiting in the emergency room, both of us agree we are sick of going there. But I don’t have to visit an emergency room or even a doctor’s office to experience the benefits of waiting. Life is filled with waiting rooms of various sorts. It was when the psalmist wrote the above words.

In life’s waiting rooms, I’ve learned things don’t often happen as quickly as I wish. This predicament develops what the psalmist calls patience—a worthy virtue but not one that’s always enjoyable to develop. A typical emergency room stay in our small town is four hours. As much as one hour in the waiting room itself and then three more waiting on doctors and nurses to do what they are going to do.

Waiting rooms have taught me life is unfair. When I see people who don’t have and can’t afford insurance. When I see people who’ve been abused by others or who’ve had crimes committed against them. And when I see people addicted to drugs who are making a visit to get a pain fix. Or when I see bodies mangled by wrecks.

Waiting rooms develop compassion in me. When I see and hear about the various conditions that bring people in for emergency care, my heart reaches out to them. I wish I could intervene. I thank God for His grace that has kept me from being in a similar situation.

In the waiting room, I learn unfortunate situations often get better. Yes, some die in the emergency room, but many more are tended to in a way that eventually leads to their healing. Trials have an end, and God determines it.

Waiting rooms also remind me I affect only a few of my life events. God, however, controls them all, and I must trust Him with the trial, the length of the trial, and the outcome.

When life puts you in the waiting room, take time to learn important life lessons.

Prayer: Father, give us the faith to trust You when You allow us to spend time in the waiting room. 

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Wanting What I Want . . . Now - Martin Wiles

Let true justice prevail, so you may live and occupy the land that the LORD your God is giving you. Deuteronomy 16:20 NLT

I sat in my recliner and watched injustice raise its ugly head.

Six balls of various sizes floated around our den. More than enough for each of our three grandboys to have more than one. But they wanted the same one. Our youngest grandson played with one, minding his own business. The middle grandson wasn’t satisfied that he had five more to choose from. He wanted the one his cousin had. So he snatched it. Our youngest grandson crawled over and retrieved another ball, only to have his cousin snatch that one. 

In the midst of this greedy drama, the oldest grandson decided he wanted the same ball his younger brother and cousin were playing with. So he snatched it from his brother who in turn screamed bloody murder. I figured it was time for me to intervene and them a lesson on sharing. 

Keeping our three small grandchildren in our home six days a week provides many life lessons. One, in particular, has to do with greed. I’ve noticed I don’t have to teach them to be greedy; it comes with the human territory. Rather, I have to spend my time teaching them to share and be kind. 

God warned the nation of Israel to appoint judges who would see that justice prevailed. If they didn’t, the harmony of the nation would be affected and so would their relationship with their neighbors. 

Greed gives evidence of a selfish spirit, and without God’s help, it will—like the jealousy monster, gobble me up. 

Life is more pleasant when it’s all about me, but God never designed anyone’s life to be just about them. His order is Him first and others second. My selfish desires come farther down the list. When they are near the top, it lets me know I have misplaced priorities.

Only God can birth an unselfish spirit in my life. 

Just as I have to instill that in my grandchildren through disciplinary and other teaching methods, so God has to do the same for me. But I must give Him the free reign to do so. Bucking His efforts keeps me from learning the lessons He wants to teach me about how wonderful an unselfish lifestyle can be. 

Instead of holding on to greed, let God teach you the joys of unselfishness. 

Prayer: Father, guide us to follow Your unselfish example of giving Your all to us. 

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