“All will be right with time and a little patience.” ~ St. Mary MacKillop

I wrote a post about waiting last year. At that time, I was in a personal situation that required patience.

Well, I’m still in a period of waiting and being asked to practice patience at this very moment!

So, I’d like to share this post with you again. If you read the original post, I recommended re-reading it here.

Waiting is a reality each of us can relate to, and there is often a lesson waiting for us…

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When we’re faced with a challenging or puzzling situation, do we try to figure it out on our own or do we ask the Lord for guidance?

When we’re surprised by something that happens, or something that we hope for doesn’t occur, how do we react?

Do we become worried and discouraged or do we place our lives in God’s hands and trust His plan for each of us?

There’s always a reason for why and how things occur.

In some cases, we may not be able to visually see or intellectually comprehend why something is — or isn’t — happening.

Sometimes the resolution for a situation may not arrive immediately because there is a lesson that must be learned first.

Sometimes the outcome is different than what we might expect or want.

Blessed art Thou, because Thou hast made me glad.
    It has not happened to me as I expected;
    but Thou hast treated us according to Thy great mercy (Tobit 8:16).

In our modern culture where waiting is discouraged and instant gratification is encouraged, it’s essential to remind ourselves that practicing patience is a good thing!

Even though it’s not always easy to do, we must be determined to try — and keep trying. Periods of waiting give us opportunities to reflect, learn valuable lessons and grow spiritually.

We’re often called to be patient in the doctor’s office, on the road or at the store. Other times we’re called to be patient in more difficult circumstances.

Maybe a loved one is ill and hoping to be healed; a family member lost their job and is searching for employment; a coworker is waiting for the results of medical testing; or a close friend feels called to marriage but has yet to find their spouse.

Perhaps you are currently facing one of these scenarios or something similar.

If — or when — we find ourselves feeling restless, frustrated or uncertain, we must remind ourselves to hope in and wait on the Lord!

“Hold your eyes on God and leave the doing to Him. That is all the doing you have to worry about.” ~ St. Jeanne de Chantal

We may not be able to understand why or how something takes place; but it’s all resting in God’s hands, and everything happens in His time.

God wants us to fully rely on Him. We’re called to let Him work in and through us to accomplish His perfect will.

It’s important to remember that He’s always focused on our highest good and knows what He’s doing.

The Lord wants us to look to Him for guidance in every aspect of our lives. It’s even more essential to do this when we’re faced with a challenging or puzzling situation.

When we find ourselves in this type of circumstance, we’re called to sincerely ask for His will to be revealed and for the grace to accept it.

It’s important to remind ourselves that we’re given what’s necessary to endure and accept the outcome of every situation (whatever it may be).

It takes courage and perseverance to wait on the Lord; but when we put our faith in Him, He acts in our lives in extraordinary ways.

All we have to do is trust Him. He’ll take care of the rest…

Wait for the Lord;
    be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    yea, wait for the Lord! (Psalms 27:14)