When God Says Wait

"Wait, Wait, Wait on the Lord." That's the title of the most recent blog post I was reading that updates the recovery of my friend's daughter who was in a terrible car accident recently. The brain injury she suffered is taking longer to heal than anyone wants. The days are long while her family waits and watches, wondering if she will ever fully recover. 

Wait. God requires that of us often.The circumstances change but the conditions remain the same. Wait.

Relationships in stepfamilies require constant waiting. We wait for them to develop, we wait for them to move forward, we wait for them to heal when hurts occur, and we wait for them to mature. It takes time. And it takes waiting.

In her book, The Stepfamily Survival Guide, by Natalie Nichols Gillespie, the author talks about the difficult wait she and her husband have been through with her oldest stepdaughter, Lorra. "Lorra has chosen as an adult not to continue her relationship with her father and me for now, and Adam (husband) and I  have sobbed on many occasions over her decision. The family all know that I have had nightmares on many multiple occasions that one of my stepdaughters is getting married and I am standing outside watching through the windows because I am not allowed inside the church!"

Natalie and her husband are enduring a terrible wait. An unknown future of whether her stepdaughter will allow them to be part of her life again. An agonizing wait.

There are no easy answers on enduring difficult waits. But as believers, we can stand on God's promises. He will walk with us through the wait.  He will stand beside when we can't find answers. He will guide us when we don't understand the outcome. And He will sustain us when the wait seems unending.

We have a choice. Will we resist the wait and agonize over answers on our time table? Or will we wait on God, trust His sovereignty, and allow Him complete control of our destiny?

"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

Are you waiting on the Lord? Are you seeking His presence while you wait?

Related Posts:

Creating a Stable Stepfamily: Commit to the Long Run

Coping with Stepfamily Storms

Some Days are Harder Than Others as a Stepparent