Waiting

S. D. Gordon, in his Quiet Talks on Prayer, describes waiting. It means:

Steadfastness, that is, holding on;
patience, that is, holding back;
expectancy, that is, holding the face up;
obedience, that is, holding one’s self in readiness to go or do;
listening, that is, holding quiet and still so as to hear.

How long, Lord, must I wait?
Never mind, child. Trust Me.

Elisabeth Elliot, Passion and Purity (Revell, 2002), p. 64.

Wow! This short quote sure packs a punch, doesn’t it! Steadfastness, patience, expectancy, obedience, listening… these are all elements of waiting. No one ever said waiting would be easy, but it has its rewards.

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Elisabeth Elliot’s writing has greatly influenced my life, even as a grown married woman. I truly wish someone had introduced me to her works when I was a teenager, but I am learning that it is never too late to incorporate the principles she teaches: namely, that passion is not sinful and purity is not prudish. Nor are they mutually exclusive. You can have both.