Write2Ignite

Let’s face it. We live in a society where we spend a lot of time waiting. Whether you are at the dentist or doctor, visiting the department of motor vehicles, or getting new tires on the car, we often find ourselves sitting around waiting to be called or waiting for something to get done. Here are a few things to consider to make that down time into something beneficial.

Waiting Makes Us Sit

Unless you are a floor pacer, waiting makes us sit still. I had to get a new windshield the other day, and since leaving and coming back later wasn’t an option for me, I had to take one of the seats and be still – which is not always easy for me. But sitting forces us to calm ourselves. It makes us slow down. This allows us to focus because we aren’t running around trying to do a million things at once. It allows us to stop and take a break so we can be ready for the rest of the day.

Waiting Helps Us Be Thankful

Sometimes it’s hard to stop and reflect on the goodness of God. Waiting allows us to “be still and know” (see Psalm 46:10) that God is in control and that the world doesn’t revolve around us. It is a perfect time to lift our friends and family up in prayer, and to be thankful that we have the luxury to be able to wait. If we are waiting at the dentist, we can be thankful that we have a chance to get our teeth worked on. If we are at the motor vehicle office, we can be thankful we don’t have to walk everywhere. And all that thankfulness needs to be directed to God, Who loves us dearly and deserves intimate time with us.

Waiting Gives Us Time

Instead of thinking of all the time we are wasting while sitting around, waiting gives us time to concentrate on something we need to do. In my case, I had a few projects I needed to catch up on. Because I was forced to sit, I was able to look over some rewrites, consider some ideas for a church project I’m helping with, and even jot down an outline for this blog post. In fact, I was so absorbed in my projects, that before I knew it, my car was done!

Don’t look at waiting as a bad thing. Look at it as an opportunity to make good use of the extra time God has given to you!

How has waiting benefited you?

Unsplash Photo Credits: Roel Dierckens, Shamim Nakhaei, Jose Aljovin, and LinkedIn Sales Solutions.

Catherine L. Osornio has written inspirational articles for a women’s ministry newsletter, over 200 leveled reader stories for a school’s reading program, fiction and nonfiction articles for Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines, The Declaration of Independence from A to Z, Thunder Comes a Rumblin’, plus various work-for-hire projects. A former elementary school librarian, Catherine is passionate about sharing the love of reading. She enjoys cartooning, illustration, and reading kids’ books. Email her at CLOsornio@verizon.net or visit her at www.catherineosornio.com.