february/march 2026

     According to the definition provided by www.dictionary.com, the word hospital is defined as an institution in which sick or injured people are given medical or surgical treatment.  In my personal experience, a hospital has been a place where I have received treatment for a few bumps and bruises I received as a young boy.  I remember my mother taking me to the hospital quite frequently, as I was all boy, and I have the scars to prove it.  

     Fast forward to today, after a recent visit to the hospital, specifically the emergency room, something that was familiar from the last time was a crowded emergency room.  Regardless of the time of day, it always seems like there are many people waiting to be treated.  Even more, their frustration with waiting was quite noticeable; in some instances, it appeared burdensome.  Regardless, I am very appreciative of the efforts and service that our hospitals and medical staff provide.  

     When I try to imagine God’s waiting room, I think about the number of those who are waiting along with me.  It doesn’t feel as crowded as the emergency rooms in a hospital, and I wonder if that is because there is a lack of patience in waiting for God to move.  Have others lost hope in God’s promises?  Have believers stopped believing and lost faith in what Christ accomplished on the cross?  The word of God in the book of Numbers 23:19, says: God is not a man, so he does not lie.  He is not human, so he does not change his mind.  Has he ever spoken and failed to act?  Has he ever promised and not carried it through?  This passage confirms that if God said it, that means He has already done it before, and that He will do it again.  I believe that He will.

     With life and waiting for God to move, the process has often felt heavy.  I have learned that there is weight involved with waiting on God; a load I must endure during the process.  God has and continues to test me, often to show me how strong or weak I am.  God's tests are accompanied by a few punches and jabs, and they hurt, really bad.  “A hard head makes a soft bottom,” as I have been told.  Sometimes they last longer than I wish; however painful, they have also been revealing.  My greatest achievements in life have only happened as a result of my waiting on God.  On the other hand, I have always found myself at my lowest when I didn’t.

     There is purpose in waiting, and winning requires believers to spend quiet time with God; to be patient and trust in His word.  If you find yourself being weighed down while God is testing you, be encouraged and know that God is preparing something amazing for you while you wait.