Praying Through the Waiting

I have to confess that I worry sometimes.  Even though I am a pastor and I know I don’t need to worry because God is in charge, there are times when I still worry.  This happens most frequently in what I call worry waiting.  This is the time you are waiting for something to happen, and you don’t really know how it is going to turn out, so you worry and wait.  It is the time when you are waiting for a diagnosis from a doctor, or waiting to hear the results of a job interview, or waiting to find out if that paper you worked so hard on will get a passing grade in the class or the project will get you that promotion you have been wanting. 

It is the time while you are waiting for the results or the information.  These are times when your life feels like it is on hold.  Everything seems to be waiting on this one piece of information, cancerous or benign, new job or still searching, pass or fail.  You go through the motions of your daily life, but they feel like just motions, as you wait to hear something, anything. 

So, what do you do while you worry wait?  We all try to convince ourselves that we don’t need to think about it because we can’t do anything about it right now anyway.  Other times we go over that interview, paper, or project over and over again thinking about what we might have done differently.  But I can’t help but think, is this really what God wants for me in this time?

As Psalm 38:15 reminds us “Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.”  Instead of just worrying, increasing our blood pressure with the “what ifs” and eating Marie Calendar’s Coconut Cream Pie (ok, maybe that’s just me), the best thing we can do in these times is to trust God.  I know this can be easier said than done.  One thing that I have done in these situations is that every time I start to worry and think about what the final decision might be, I pray.  Not just in the morning, at bedtime, and at meals, but every time I start to worry about it.  Whenever you start to think, “but what if  . . .” just pray asking God for peace and a reminder that He has wonderful plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11).  Before long it becomes almost automatic.  You start to think about it and begin to worry, and then remind yourself to pray.  “God this is yours, I give this to you, please give me peace and help me to trust in Your plans for me.” 

Worry waiting doesn’t just have to be a time stress and anxiety; it can be a time of learning to trust God more.  It can be a time of growing your prayer life, and your dependence on God.  “Cast your cares on him, because he cares for you” 1 Peter 5:7.

God bless, Rev. Liz Arakelian, www.LivingHopeEC.org