Yesterday, while studying for the message for Sunday, the song “While I’m Waiting” from John Weller came on. This song has been following me for a long time and got me to thinking about the road I have been on for the last year and a half.
See, back in September of 2008, I was at a convention in Nashville for Christian booksellers and they were previewing the movie “Fireproof” for us before it came out in theaters. When I came in, they had already started with different people involved in the project were talking. I found a place just inside the door to stand and listen before trying to find a seat in the 200 person auditorium. Beside me stood a man who stood out to me for no particular reason and I was trying to figure if I knew him or not. About that time, they called him to the stage to perform the one of the songs from the movie, “While I’m Waiting”. I had never heard of John Weller at that point and still don’t know why he stood out to me. (I wrote more about this night on another blog back then which you can find here.)
From that blog, this is how that song hit me that night….
(From 9/8/08…) “Now I have been in a little bit of a holding pattern for awhile now (with the store, the church, and just with life) where I have been praying, praying, praying some more and waiting. I needed some encouragement from God that it’s all in His hands. Not that I doubted but a little reminder would be nice. Here’s the lyrics of the song that touched my heart last night…..
While I’m Waiting – John Waller
I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait
I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I’m waiting
I will serve You
While I’m waiting
I will worship
While I’m waiting
I will not faint
I’ll be running the race
Even while I wait
I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it’s not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve you while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting on You, Lord”
Since that night, that song has come up on the radio or on my iPod mix pretty much every time I have needed to hear it. Little did I know that first night all the changes we would be going through as God continues to guide us through his will including closing the Christian bookstore we owned, hard integrity decisions at church, faith steps to follow God there, loss of our personal finance comfort, and many other things I won’t get into to “protect the innocent” =)
But to say the least, God has had us on one overwhelming path. I am thankful for every lesson that He has taught us through this and I know we are not done yet. There is something He is leading us to and by faith, we are waiting. But on the tough days, it seems He gives me this song as a gentle reminder.
In the movie, the song is played while the main character is pondering all that is going on and all the problems are fixed in the next hour. Sometimes I wish our lives were a movie =)
Psalm 5:3
In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
Psalm 37:7
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
