Waiting Room

Throughout life we will find ourselves in the waiting room.  We may wait on answers, relief, answers to a question, a plan or a rescue.  What do we do while we wait?  It likely depends upon what we are waiting? We may distract ourselves with reading, playing a word puzzle or electronic game.  If we are around others we may distract ourselves with conversation. We distract ourselves from the unpleasant task of waiting.

There are seasons in life where I have spent a lot of time in the waiting rooms of life.  At times they are literal waiting rooms and other times figurative rooms. Many times it can be both.  One year ago I sat alone in both a figurative and literal waiting room. I was waiting for my stepmother to return from a radiation treatment for her lung cancer that had spread to her brain.  She was diagnosed the week before Christmas. Our family had so many unknowns. We were waiting to learn of her treatment plan. We were waiting for the provision of her treatment which was costly and we had some insurance struggles. We were ultimately waiting for the outcome. Faced with so many unknowns in that waiting room alone I found I was really waiting on God.

As I waited for her to return to her hospital room from her treatment that morning, I thought, reflected and prayed. I flooded the Lord's throne with prayers for my stepmother and my whole family.  As I waited for details to unfold and all the barriers to be overcome, I realized I was waiting on a God that is able to do much more than I could conceive.

As I waited on God to act I would seek His face more fervently. I would sup with Him more desperately and I was more open to hear His voice.  I was waiting for an answer.  As I waited for the situation to unfold that morning in that waiting room something happened that I can only explain as this. I slowed down and craved not distraction but captivation. I no longer wanted the answer to how everything would unfold. What I craved for my stepmother, my loved ones and myself was peace. That peace that goes beyond understanding. I wanted that to envelop my whole family.

So alone in that waiting room, that became my prayer, ' Lord this Christmas, grant us your peace.'

Looking back I can report that he did. He granted us not only a feeling of His presence which gave and amazing peace to walk out all that was to come, but He granted peace in so many ways. Relationships that had been wounded were reconciled. Forgiveness granted. A joyful Christmas full of memories was enjoyed by a family coming together to peacefully celebrate the moment in light of so many unknowns.

Later that same week my stepmother would have two occasions of driving through Christmas lights with those she loved, we would sing Christmas carols and laugh. Then she had a house full of grandkids opening gifts that she picked out for them. It was her joy to spread joy by giving them gifts. She felt no pain that day, it was joy and it was peaceful.

Though this Christmas she is not with us and the answer to how it unfolded has been played out, what remains is that very same peace. Peace that she is with our Lord. Peace that she is no longer in the waiting room of life, she is with the very source of peace and joy and life.

So for now it us , her family that continues to be in the waiting room of life.  We can learn something from Lana. Each day , though her future was unknown she just kept being her. She lived out life, did what she had to do, loved the way she loved and was just her. So as we continue in this waiting room of life, we can live out God's plan for our lives and seek him for peace and joy along the way.

Then one day those of us who place our hope in Christ shall reunite with Him and all of those that went before. Then the peace and joy will be eternal and we will wait no more!