http://www.elevationchurch.org/sermons/waitingroom/part1
Whatever waiting room you are faced with right now, God has a purpose for it.
One of the awesome points that Holly made was this: "What seems to be like a pointless or even painful waiting room, may be God's most productive workroom." How true is that! We often don't see it as a workroom till we are looking back and saying, "Aaaah, that's what God was doing then...." Let's embrace it now, so we can say, "Aaaah, I don't know exactly what He is doing, but I am going to be a vessel for His use now, and I am going to allow Him to work in and through me, so that I can be of good use later."
God doesn't put us in a waiting room to frustrate us, make us mad or even to desert us. There is a good and perfect reason for it. And throughout life, we will go in and out of waiting rooms that look different in each season of life. But take heart- there is a purpose, and you will come out of the waiting room stronger and more like Jesus, if you wait in it patiently, in praise, and with eyes open of opportunities around you- but not if you complain, lock yourself in your house, or get angry at God. You might just be in that waiting room forty years!
I want to close this with the example from Acts 16, that was used at Elevation Church, and that was of Paul and Silas in prison. Although Paul and Silas were not guilty of any crime, they were beaten and put into prison. While in prison, instead of complaining, they were praying and singing hymns to God. The author makes an important note that the other prisoners were listening to Paul and Silas praise God in their circumstance. Do we forget that even when we aren't "preaching Jesus" we are by our actions and words? The prisoners watched how they reacted to being in prison unjustly, and people around you are watching how you handle your crisis, your circumstances, even if they seem unfair. Are you complaining? Are you praising God through times of difficulty? Are you fearful? Are you confident in God's plan and provision? While Paul and Silas were in their waiting room- called prison, an earthquake shook the walls of the prison so greatly that their shackles came loose and the gates of the prison were flung open. Are you trying to escape your waiting room? Are you trying to get out before it's time? Even though the shackles came loose and Paul and Silas could have escaped prison, they stayed in- they knew that God had them there for a time, and it wasn't up yet. Because of the way they handled the situation, the jail guard came to know Jesus. If we are content with the season of life God has us in- painful, difficult, challenging- if we praise Him regardless, and trust in His plan- if we open our eyes to what and who are around us in the waiting room- if we allow God to make us vessels for honorable use- He will use us! The waiting room will become a workroom- and the waiting won't seem as much like waiting, when we enjoy the place God has us right now. If we stop focusing on the later, and embrace the now- it will be much more enjoyable, and maybe- just maybe, could we even love it? I am sure that Paul and Silas wouldn't say prison was fun, but Paul was more concerned about honoring God, rather than his escape from prison- and look what happened- the jailer came to know the Lord. God used Paul and Silas because they allowed God to use them, by being content in their circumstance and embracing it. What will God do in and through you if you do the same?
"Its how you respond in those waiting rooms that determines where you will go." ~Steven Furtick