Excitement & Expectation While Waiting

Modern technological advances like online shopping and email, have made it so easy to quickly get what we want, that we are losing, as a whole, the ability to patiently wait for things.

The short lived happiness from the new standard of speed that we have grown so accustomed to, can very easily become anger filled grumbling as we sit with disappointment from slow internet service or a delivery mishap.

Not only do we run the risk of losing patience and inviting anger into our hearts, but we also risk losing the beautiful gift of the excitement born from the anticipation of whatever it was that we were hoping for.

With just the click of a mouse, we are now able to get things so fast that we don’t treasure it as deeply as we should, or as much as we once did in times past.

When I was in the 5th grade, my best friend and her family moved far away.

We went from being 10 minutes apart to having hours in-between us.

This was back in the days before text messaging and Facebook, so communication for a long distance friendship between kids was not easy work.

One way that we stayed in touch was through writing letters.

I remember the excitement of putting a letter in the mail for her, and also the anticipation of receiving one back.

Every time I got one of her letters it felt as if time stood still.

Nothing else mattered in that moment except the words that waited for me inside that envelope...an envelope with only my name on it.

I would squeal with delight, run to my room, slam my bedroom door, and clean my desk off before settling down to read and then reread her letters.

They always seemed to arrive right on time with just what I needed.

Her updates and pledges of friendship always reassured me that I was still special to her, and that I was not forgotten.

I still have all of the letters she wrote me, that is how precious they were to me.

I kept them and will continue to do so because they remind me that I was loved.

Waiting for those letters caused me to develop patience, and the patience that I exercised made the incoming letter arrival so much sweeter.

Sweet like a word encouragement received from a friend when a trial is being walked through, or sweet like the peace received from a verse or passage that reminds you that you too are special and have not been forgotten.

As you go about your day, pray over your needs and intercede for your family and friends.

Then resolve to wait with excitement and expectation, knowing that you will be rewarded with not just an answer, but with the perfect answer with your name on it, accompanied by the building of your patience.