Tom Petty had it right when he sang those words. Yet, isn't that what so much of life is about? I find that God has me in a season of waiting right now, and I don't really like it much. St. Augustine said, "The whole life of the good Christian is a holy longing. What you desire ardently, as yet you do not see." I am not a very patient person, and like most Americans of my generation, I question whether I should be entitled to get what I want when I want it.
Yet, it's not like I even have a choice to wait or not wait. I can't hasten anything by deciding that I won't wait. The choice is more like to wait or to fret. I'm not fun to be around when I fret. (Who is?) Jesus pointed out in Matthew 6 that worrying can't accomplish anything anyway.
Lately I've been writing a lot in my journal about waiting. And my journal is written in "franglais," a melange of French and English because that's how my brain thinks most of the time. The other day I wrote, "attendre" ("to wait"). I stared at the word for a couple seconds because I was struck by its possible origin. I've since done a bit of research and can't find any facts to back up my musings on its etymology. No matter; I believe that whatever the word's origin, it is true that attendre, when done in dependence on the Lord, really does "make tender." That's what I sense is happening in my heart -- an increasing tenderness toward Him and others -- as I accept His timing over mine. So while I'd love to have resolution to whatever of life's "drawn out" situations I'm in, I hope that God will mercifully keep me waiting.
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