Are you still waiting for something?
Last month I got a little good news. A magazine that I had sent an article to, notified me that they were going to publish it. Woo-hoo!
I was excited and surprised.
Surprised because I had sent the article more than three years ago.
It took three years to get the article published! Truthfully, I had pretty much given up any hope that they would actually use the article.
Shortly after I sent it to the magazine, they sent me a message saying they liked it, but after one year I was still waiting to see it in print. After two years I was still waiting. After three I was still waiting.
Lately, God has been teaching me more about waiting. This time He is using the words of Psalm 62:
My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. Psalm 62:1 NASB
I looked up that little word wait. In Hebrew the word is duwmiyah which means “silence, still, repose, still waiting.” That last phrase got my attention because I’m not very good at waiting. And if I do any waiting at all it’s drumming-my-fingers waiting. It’s tapping-my-toes waiting. It’s sighing-loudly waiting.
But duwmiyah is still waiting. Duwmiyah is waiting in quietness and stillness. This kind of waiting I am totally unacquainted with.
If I have to wait for an answer to prayer, I am restless until the answer comes. I don’t wait in stillness. If something I yearn for is a long time in coming, I tend to complain to God–constantly. I don’t wait in silence.
But God wants me to experience still waiting. He wants me to wait in quietness and repose because He assures me that He is going to come through: “From Him is my salvation.”
So what does still waiting look like? Believe me, I’m no expert, but I think:
Still waiting means trusting God to give me what I need when I need it.
Still waiting means picturing all of God’s goodness stored up for me for exactly the right time.
Still waiting means resting in God’s love.
Are you still waiting?
Next step: A prayer for today, “Father, I’m tired of waiting. I’m not very good at this waiting in stillness. I’m much better at waiting while complaining. But I do trust that You love me and want what is best for me. Help me to rest in that love while I’m still waiting.”
CONGRATS Sharla! How exciting to get into the magazine, even if you already have books published too. I was thinking about your mouth makeover talk just this morning. AGAIN. Thank you for your words and creativity.
Thank you Heather! That retreat was SO much fun!
Sharla,
That little post gave me some hope!! I have written devotions etc and never hear answers if they will ever be used etc so I just give up hope and stop writng because I usually think I guess they are not good enough but maybe it is like everything else.. in God’s good timing!
It is sometimes difficult to know whether it is a gift used of God or whether we need to pursue something different. I know magazines etc sometimes have certain themes they will use so maybe what we write now may be uselful somewhere at a later date. Perseverence in waiting seems to be a biggy too!!
Thanksfor the post!
Betty, you are so right about perseverance! I often say that I think the reason God called me to try this writing thing is so that I learn to trust HIM more.
Keep writing! I hate to say it, but that will also mean “keep waiting”!
Dear Sharla,
Please let me know what magazine, because ANY magazine that appreciates your writing is one I want to buy. Congratulations, and BTW great job of waiting patiently! Sincerely, Julie McIntosh
Hi Julie,
The magazine is Just Between Us–a magazine for women in ministry. Thanks for the interest!
By the way… can’t resist did you feel like Duh…me?… yeah or yah! when you got the news. LOL
I was yeah! I really didn’t think that anything would happen with that article anymore. It was a great surprise!