How Long Do You Wait?
Some decisions are crystal clear. We play them over and over in our head so when the moment comes we know exactly what to say and do. We have rehearsed, we are ready to go and then… nothing. Silence, deafening silence. A silence that becomes lonely. Life didn’t play out like we planned. Life didn’t play out like movies. The happily ever after is taking too long to arrive. The question that haunts everybody is this: How long to I wait? How long do I hold on?
How long do you wait? Do you take the job? It’s a job at least. Yes, it’s not in your field, but it has been said that it is easier to find a job when you already have a job. Besides, do you really have to love your job?
How long do you wait? All your friends are getting married. Perhaps it is time to widen the pool. After all, does it really matter if we believe the same things about God, finances, and politics? Every couple has differences. It is so lonely.
How long do you wait? Everybody is posting pregnancy pictures. Do we really need to have kids right away? Can’t we just enjoy us?
How long do you wait? You were so in love when you got married. Over the years life happened to where you both simply drifted. It was necessary to separate, the fighting couldn’t have been worse. It’s been six months, will six more months make a difference? At what point do you just move on?
How long do you wait? I don’t know. But a few things to remember when you are in the messiness of life:
- Be present. It is important to look ahead, just don’t do it at the cost of the present. Your situation won’t get better if you have emotionally left.
- God is not Santa Clause. God loves you and cares for you. Perhaps instead of removing you from the situation he wants to bring you through the situation. Maybe there is something that you need to learn now before you can flourish tomorrow.
- You have to live with yourself. After the dust has settled and you are back on your feet you will be haunted by another question: what if? What if you had stuck it out? Often, looking back over our shoulder when we have left a situation we realize it wasn’t so bad. You have to live with that.
- Sometimes changes are necessary. It has been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. What are those changes specifically?
- Press into Jesus. Over and over again the Bible talks about the compassion of Jesus. He calls out the stars by name and yet he knows the hair on our heads. What are you doing to press into Jesus?