In the Waiting Room – Dr. Hona Amer

Scripture:

“Joseph’s master took him and threw him into the jail where the king’s prisoners were locked up. But there in jail God was still with Joseph: He reached out in kindness to him; he put him on good terms with the head jailer. The head jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners—he ended up managing the whole operation. The head jailer gave Joseph free rein, never even checked on him, because God was with him; whatever he did God made sure it worked out for the best.” Genesis 39:20-23 (MSG)

Perspective:

When you go to any appointment, you usually have to wait. Sometimes you wait in a specific “waiting room” without being told how long you are going to be sitting there. Sometimes the suspense makes us anxious, while other times we would rather wait instead of face the news on the other side of the door. In our times of waiting, minutes can turn into hours, as we anticipate but have yet to accomplish the purpose for which we wait.

Joseph’s life was characterized by turbulence. One moment he was telling his brothers that they would bow down to him, and the next moment, he was being sold into slavery. One moment he was in charge of Potiphar’s household, and the next moment he was being falsely accused and thrown in prison. Joseph knew that God had given him a vision that he would be a powerful leader, but he encountered many obstacles along the way. To an outsider, it would seem that Joseph spent more time waiting than anything. But if we look at it from the inside, the season of waiting was really a season of deep work in his heart. Many times in our lives, when we are waiting for that spouse to finally walk into our lives, school to be finished, or to accomplish our dream, we feel like nothing is happening. We almost feel like we are sitting in the waiting room of life. It can feel that everyone else is passing through the waiting room, but you are stuck there. In Joseph’s season of waiting, God granted him favor, and he began to learn the skills that he would need later in his life. Joseph’s season of waiting didn’t last forever, but it was a stepping stone to accomplishing the dream God had placed in his heart. When it seems like nothing is happening, remember that God is working behind the scenes to work things together for good. And, in your season of waiting, put your whole heart into what you are doing and trust that God will guide you.