Don't Waste the Wait

  Every significant life event and achievement is preceded by periods of time in which we are forced to wait for what we desire to happen. We often view waiting time as wasted time. We want to 'arrive' at our goal, our destination, our end point. But what if our waiting time wasn't meant to be wasted? What if our waiting time was meant to be seized and garnered as a precious resource of preparation for the road ahead?

  Transition and periods of change are an immense challenge. When we sense change in our job, physical location or relationships we are tempted to 'check out' and begin the pursuit of the next thing in life. The mistake we make most often is that we refuse to live fully 'in the now' of life's precious moments. Each moment in life is valuable. We often think that when we arrive at a particular place of achievement that 'real life' begins. You often hear people discuss what they will do once they: marry, graduate, have children, retire, leave home, relocate... you name the place or type of transition for yourself. What if instead of waiting for change we seized each precious moment and fully lived in it?

  What can you do with your life while you're on your way to achieving your goals and dreams? People who are near death offer us some great perspective on not 'wasting the wait' in life. Most people interviewed who knew their lives were near the end said they would have focused more time on relationships and less on working and making money. Visions and dreams are important but not to the point that they cause us to sacrifice people and relationships. While you're waiting... preparing and dreaming for a life of meaning and purpose, pay attention to the people who are living around you right now! No one wants to be a means to an end. Are you so focused on your goals that you have become indifferent to the people in your life right now?

  I live across the street from a University and interact with highly motivated people working towards degrees and dreams. The focus is often on grades, papers, graduate school and career. I admire and encourage the people I meet daily to pursue those goals with faith, hard work and discipline. But I also try to temper my counsel and encouragement with words of caution from Jesus. Jesus said this, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?" When we allow our own personal goals, dreams or vision for life crowd out the things that last forever we've lost our soul....we've lost ourselves....we've lost what really matters most of all.

  Perhaps on our way to where we want to go we can remember that relationships matter more than we realize. Perhaps the things that we achieve and learn and contribute to society were meant to connect us with God and one another.  There are three things that last forever in life and they are all spiritual. "So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)  What are you waiting for? Don't waste the wait. Recognize the people around you as the greatest treasure of all. Learn how to invest and build on the relationships you have right now. There is nothing you can achieve in life that matters so much that you need to forfeit or destroy a relationship to obtain that goal.  A dream without satisfying relationships is a mirage. A vision that doesn't bring hope to our communities is a nightmare. Don't waste the wait.... love God, love people.