Waiting is hard. Who wants to wait? When I’m in the grocery store or the gas pumps, I scan all the available lanes to assess which to position myself. I usually guess wrong. Then there are the big things in life in which the Lord says “wait.” When I was growing up in church, we used to sing Psalm 40:31 and I remember wondering what “waiting on the Lord” meant. Did ‘to wait’ mean ‘to serve’ like a waiter or waitress? Or am I to literally wait… as in stop. Be patient. Don’t be in such a hurry. Hold your horses! In Hebrew, the word wait also means “hope for,” and “anticipate.” Some Bible versions, such as the NIV says “but those who hope in the Lord…” Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” We live in such a busy hustle-bustle world that we aren’t very good at “waiting.” We tend to look at our phones or keep thinking, hurry up! How long does it take to scan bacon anyway? We want it now! Waiting affords us the opportunity to slow down, reflect and absorb the world around us. It gives us time to think about the Lord and to hope in Him. The next time you’re stuck in line, or otherwise must “wait,” praise God! Literally praise Him and thank Him for his blessings. It will change your perspective. Observe others around you. Maybe God will give you a glimpse of someone needing prayer. Or better yet, strike up a conversation and perhaps the Lord will provide an opportunity to share His love – even if in a small way. A smile and kind words go far and make waiting a little brighter. I prefer to think of the word “wait” in all its meanings. Wait. Slow down, stop and think… and of course to serve the Lord and, finally, it’s in Him and only Him where my hope lies. Waiting is not a bad word, and of course also applies when you aren’t in line. We can all attest to times in our lives when waiting on an answer from God feels torturous. We must always maintain an attitude of waiting. Anticipating. Hoping. Waiting is an opportunity – what will you do with it?