In the waiting

 

It became apparent that we needed to do something about the rust on our corrugated iron roof. So, we had a couple of companies come to have a look at it and give quotes. It turned out our house roof needed repairs to the ridge-cap, rust removed and various rust proofing, mildew and moss cleaning, and painting. Our garage roof needed replacing. The quote we accepted was dearer than the other, but they also did a great deal more to future proof our house roof. In fact, even though it is fifty years old they guaranteed at least another ten to fifteen years, so it seemed worth the extra cost.

Then came the frustrating part. They put us in a queue, but due to inclement weather, jobs were having to wait longer. Finally, they came and repaired the house roof. I quickly phoned the insurance company and arranged the extra cover (at a horrendous cost), that we needed while the work was being completed. However, they did not come back next day for the garage! The painter arrived and started the preparations on the house roof, but he too was delayed when it became too windy to spray paint. I finally telephoned the company to ask when they would be completing the job. They said a week or two. I replied that my insurance for the job expired on a particular date and it needed to be completed by then. The roofers arrived today to replace the garage roof with a few days’ spare, although the painter has not come back yet. My patience has been severely tested.

It made me think about prayers that God answers with ‘wait’. How patient am I in the waiting? Just as the roofers knew when best to complete the job according to the weather and their other work, God knows the best time to answer our prayers according to His purpose for us. It is frustrating to wait and may even feel like God is saying ‘no’. But our faith will grow as we recognize that His will and His timing is perfect. We can learn to trust in the ‘wait’ and the ‘no’.

Help me have patience Father, knowing I can trust in you.