Last year we had some major work done around the exterior of the house. It was a pretty big project for us. We had some major things done. There were a couple of small things we were leaving to this spring. One of those small projects was re-carpeting the stairs that lead up to the front door of our home. Once I connected with a business that could do it for me, they said they couldn’t touch it until the temperature maintained a warmer temp than we were currently experiencing at that time or it wouldn’t set right. We also had to wait for 2-3 days without rain because there can’t be any moisture of any kind on the stairs when they do it. I connected with them in plenty of time to have it done for our son’s open house in late May. That way it would look presentable when we had guests over instead of the worn and missing carpet that is there now.
Yep, you read that last sentence correctly. It does say “instead of the worn and missing carpet that is there now.” We had planned and prepared. We put all of our ducks in a row to have this project done by May 16. As I sit down to write this on the morning of June 7, we still don’t have carpet on the stairs. I ran a quick errand this morning and I was frustrated that it wasn’t done. I’m not frustrated with the business that’s doing the work for me, the weather is out of their control. I was just frustrated in general. That’s when the Holy Spirit revealed to me that even though I may be frustrated because this project I want to be finished isn’t complete, the reason it isn’t complete is a blessing. We don’t have new carpet on our front stairs because of the blessing of nourishing water falling from the heavens.
Last night we had some pretty big storms pass over us. When I looked out of our front door onto Central Avenue, I saw a river of water rushing toward the drain that’s right in front of our home. In a time when a part of our country (and so much of our world) is in such desperate need of water, we have it in excess. The new grass that was planted last fall in our yard will be nourished. The farms that surround our city have the water they need for their crops to grow.
It’s my prayer this morning that we would see what goodness our God has for us in the midst of our waiting. Some of you may not be waiting for something as simple as carpet on your stairs. You may be waiting to hear back if you got the job. It may be that you’re waiting for a child returning from a trip overseas. A trip you’re anxious about, but trusting that God has her in His arms. You may be waiting to find out if you need surgery on something that’s bothered you for decades. Please know that you’re not alone in your waiting. Some of the most admired people in Scripture went through times of waiting. David was anointed as King, but he had to wait many, many years to take the throne. Paul spent much of his ministry waiting in jail. By reading God’s Word, we see that there were definitely times of frustration and anxiety in the lives of these men, but ultimately so much eternal good came as a result of these times of waiting.
Holy Father, thank you for these times of waiting in our lives. So many times we get frustrated and doubt You know our problems. Lord, may Your Holy Spirit remind us that our problems aren’t forgotten and that we may see the blessings in the midst of our waiting. As we hold on to You, would You reveal to us Your goodness that we often forget is all around us.
