Waiting

Sunset this weekend, reflected in the top of the car.

Advent is a time of waiting and preparation.  Think about the times you spend or have spent waiting.  How do you fill the time of waiting?  What is your attitude towards waiting?

I can think of several periods of waiting in my life.

• In the year before I changed jobs, I felt like I was in a time of waiting.  I didn't know what I was waiting for, I didn't know when the waiting would end, or what would be the result, if anything.  Along with that feeling, I felt a need to prepare for whatever came next, so I focused time on cataloging samples, preparing them for long-term storage, discarding what needed to be thrown away, and generally getting the lab into shape to be transitioned to someone else.  When the waiting was over, the last two weeks were hectic, but not nearly what might have been.  Do we spend time waiting for God in preparation?
• I carpool to work.  Often, on Wednesdays, the person with whom I carpool has a 7:00 AM prayer group meeting.  That means that we leave about 1/2 an hour later on Wednesdays than other days of the week.  I love that 1/2 hour, and on days when we don't carpool on Wednesdays, I still take the 1/2 hour of waiting time.  It feels like a retreat -- I usually have a quiet breakfast and spend the time reading.  There are no distractions.  It's a precious time of waiting.  Do we consider the time we spend waiting for God to be precious?
• When I fly, I like to have a decent amount of time for layovers.  I don't like worrying that I won't make the next flight if the current flight runs late (as they so often do).  When the time is short, I am anxious, and I spend the time at the end of the first flight worrying about the layover, and making it onto the next plane.  Is the time we spend waiting for God a time of anxiety?
• This time of year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, is a time of waiting.  I usually spend it rushing around, trying to get everything done that "needs" to be done.  I don't enjoy this month, even though is is full of opportunities of grace.  It rushes by with no time to breathe or relax, and my waiting time seems focused on things that are not the priority.  Do we spend our time waiting for God distracted by other priorities.

What is the best way to wait for God?  What attitude and action would prepare the way for the Lord as well as make the best use of the time He has given to us?

What are we waiting for and how are we waiting?