In this month’s guest post, you get to read an encouraging story about waiting – with a happy ending.

It’s written by a talented young lady who dedicated her life to the Lord at an early age. Anna Kate Turner is highly involved in ministry and she practices the simplicity of what it means to seek first the Kingdom of God. She has worked in various ministries including Missionettes, Women’s Ministries, and youth ministry. She is a pastor’s wife and also currently serves as Evangelism and Home Missions Director for the North Alabama District of the Congregational Holiness Church. She holds a BS in Psychology from Liberty University. Anna and Matt have been married for seven years and they are the happy parents of Elia.

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Waiting. Who likes to wait? Who likes to wait for what he or she wants? Who likes to wait for something that’s been promised? You? Not me. Patience is not something that comes easily. Waiting is something that often causes pain, anger, and discouragement. Waiting is hard. I’m not talking about waiting for dinner, waiting in line at the store or waiting for your spouse to get ready, although waiting on those things are frustrating. I am speaking of the waits that bring you to your knees—the waits that change you, and hopefully, change you for the better.

While we are waiting, it doesn’t seem kind or merciful. Sometimes waiting is heart-wrenching. Yet, it was through the process of a long wait for a beautiful promise that I found God’s grace flowing beautifully through my life. If you look close enough you can find His grace in your wait too.

Waiting on healing brought the woman with the issue of blood literally to the feet of grace (Matthew 9:20-22). Waiting on the Lord’s promise saved a family from famine through their brother Joseph (Genesis 42). Hannah’s wait brought her to her knees, and the grace she found brought her a godly son (1 Samuel 1:9-28). Did any of these people necessarily want to wait for their salvation or promise? Nope. However, I believe these people would testify that the wait was worth it in the end because of the grace they found.

For me, finding grace and purpose while waiting was difficult. I did not want to see God’s hand in the wait because it made me angry. Like Hannah, I was waiting on a baby. I couldn’t understand how God’s benevolence could be found in allowing me to struggle. I even went as far to bring to God’s attention all the things I have done for Him. Yeah, right! Like I could ever repay the debt He paid for me, but that’s where waiting brought me. Why had my prayer not been answered yet? Why did I have to wait? Why wasn’t God listening to me? I was focused on all the I’s and me’s but the waiting was about Him.

God’s voice is often overshadowed by our anger and frustration during a period of waiting. He has often used songs to speak into my life, and one day a song I have heard a million times helped me find His grace in my wait. The chorus of John Waller’s song While I’m Waiting says:

While I’m waiting
I will serve You
While I’m waiting
I will worship
While I’m waiting
I will not faint

I’ll be running the race
Even while I wait

Years of praying and waiting had brought me to the point where I didn’t even know what to do while I waited. What did He want me to do with my life? Did He even care about me? The simple words in this song broke down the walls I had built up. The words brought clarity to my life and through encouragement from others, I found His grace. My passion for serving the Lord grew. This chorus became my song and encouraged me to turn to the Lord and trust Him again.

Five years of waiting brought me a healthy baby girl. More importantly, the wait showed me His grace in ways I would not know it without waiting. I learned to rely on His omniscience. I learned to trust His timing. Looking back over those years of waiting I can see His purpose. I can now say that the wait was worth it. I realize that the grace I found was enough, as it should have been the entire time. There is grace to be found in your wait as well.

The world waited thousands of years for salvation to come, and God waited for the perfect time to send it through His son. He is the same God orchestrating each of our lives. Look for His grace in your wait. I know you will find it.

What are you waiting on? Are you finding grace while you’re waiting? And most importantly, how are you serving while you’re waiting?