What, Why, and Waiting

By Brian Pusateri | December 11, 2022 | | Share on Facebook

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Human life is filled with endless questions. Why was I born? What is my purpose? Why does hatred and war exist? Why do people get sick? When will I die? Not only do we long for answers, but life itself is also filled with endless periods of waiting. Waiting is usually very uncomfortable. It annoys us and causes stress. Can waiting ever be a time of joy? Find out by reading more.

Just ask anyone who has ever been stuck in the long lines at the TSA check point at the airport or someone who has been stuck for hours in non-moving traffic in an interstate traffic jam how they felt while waiting. They will quickly tell you just how annoyed and stressed out they were. Simply stated, we humans just don’t like to wait. Waiting can be frustrating and very often depressing, but does it have to be?

We enter this world after our mother has waited nine long months to give birth. When we die, our dead body waits to be squeezed into the church’s, minister’s, and family’s schedule for a funeral. In between birth and death, we wait, wait, and wait some more.

As a small child we wait to be one of the big kids. As an adolescent, we wait to graduate high school. Following that, we wait to graduate college, or we wait to find employment. As an adult we wait to find a spouse, we wait for a promotion, wait for our wedding day, and wait for children to arrive. In midlife, we wait to build a new home, and wait to retire. During our senior years, we wait for grandchildren, wait for a cure for our illnesses, and finally we wait to die. It sometimes seems that waiting is all we do.

Mankind has always been waiting for something. Throughout history, humans have anticipated a better time to come. We have longed for a future that is better and brighter than the present. Christians have also hoped for that day when the Lord will gather up our tears, and bring an end to our struggles and pains.

We also wait for that day when we will find answers to life’s big questions. We are told that life’s biggest questions are:

  • Where did I come from?
  • Who am I?
  • Why am I here?
  • How should I live?
  • Where am I going?

In reality, there is an endless list of questions. What questions are you waiting to find answers for?

While waiting for something, every second can seem like an eternity. Waiting itself can become unbearable if we are not sure that what we are waiting for will ever come about. The stress of waiting for something in the future is compounded if we can’t find real meaning and purpose in the present.

While waiting often brings with it a sense of dread, anxiousness, or fear, it is possible to find joy while waiting. Advent is meant to be one of those times. During Advent, we not only wait for Christmas Day, but we also wait for our Lord’s triumphant return. The Bible assures us that one day our anxieties will be lifted, our fears will be quelled, our pains will be healed, all of our questions will be answered, and joy will abound. Yes, a day is coming when Jesus will return and His kingdom will have no end. Now that is something worth waiting for!

We still have a few more weeks to wait before Christmas is finally here. In joyful anticipation of the celebration of our Lord’s birth, houses are decorated, trees are covered in lights, Christmas cookies have been baked, and Christmas music fills the airwaves.

So, with hope in our hearts, let’s hold tight to the joy of Christmas each day. When we place our faith in Jesus, every day of our life has meaning. When, through faith, the present is filled with meaning, the anticipation we experience for an even brighter future becomes more bearable. And when we know the future will be brighter, today becomes that much more precious.

Heavenly Father, we long for the day when our many questions will be answered, and your Kingdom will be filled with joy forever. Until that day arrives, please provide me a sense of peace, and joy every day of my life. Amen.

AMDG

Please take a couple minutes to watch the video about my new book. The book is available on this website and on Amazon.com. It is also NOW AVAILABLE IN SPANISH. Please be sure to like the video and to leave a review of the book on Amazon after you have read it. Thank you!

Brian Pusateri
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