In the Waiting Moments...

Last night we went as a family to a nightglow airballoon festival. The balloons were going to be blown up in the dark. Unfortunately it was too windy and only one could be blown up. We were parked in a paddock with tons of other cars. We were in the far corner of the paddock. When we went to leave, a lot of other people left too. So many cars trying to leave the paddock at once resulted in a traffic jam. For a good forty minutes we sat in the same place, only seeing the cars around us, wondering what the hold up was. Why was it taking so long? Were there actually cars going out the gate? Were any cars moving anywhere? After forty minutes of sitting still it felt like we were no closer to getting home. We were surrounded by cars, and were trapped. After an hour of waiting, we finally managed to get out!
Sitting in the car, trying to wait patiently and feeling trapped, I felt like I was back in hospital with Lydia again. Thankfully with Lydia, we never had much fear that she wouldn't make it. The worst thing was the waiting. Waiting for her to grow so she could have her heart surgery. Waiting for the next appointment with the doctors  at the end of the month only to be told that we need to keep waiting for Lydia to grow more. She was too little to have her heart operation, but too fragile to leave the NICU. We were thankful she was going to be ok--it wasn't like she was going to die, but oh, the waiting! It seemed like forever!
Then at six months old, after her heart operation she got a complication. It was the same thing again. She would get better, but it would take time in hospital for her to heal. Waiting again. I remember after 6 weeks feeling like we were no closer to going home. Of course we were six weeks closer, but because of the uncertainties, it felt like we were no closer.
But both of those long hospital stays did end.
And last night, we did get out of that traffic jam.
Trials do end. Waiting times do come to an end. Although some seem to last too long, they don't last forever. Some difficulties/challenges may last a life time (Lydia will always have Down Syndrome.) But most waiting moments will pass.

If you are going through a waiting time in your life, don't despair. Ask God for patience and make the most of these moments. Do what you can while you wait.  Have faith that God is working even though it may look like nothing is happening. Waiting moments are not wasted moments.
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Psalms 27:14