Advent Eleven

‘…my soul waits for the Lord…’ (Psalm 130:6a)

At this time of year more than any other, I find myself having to wait: waiting my turn, waiting in line, waiting to pay, waiting to be served, or seen.

However long I have to wait, something transformational takes place when my waiting is acknowledged. The words “Thank you for waiting” speak directly to my soul.

We are made up of heart – our will, the choices we make; and mind – our thoughts (which cannot be separated from our emotions) and emotions (which cannot be separated from our thoughts); and strength – our bodies, finite energy packs; all held together by our soul. Unless our soul is at peace, it cannot direct and gather heart and soul and strength. But when our soul waits, then we might notice and attend to the warning signs in our bodies, our mental health, our decision-making.

When I find myself having to wait in a queue to pay for an item of Christmas shopping, in an over-full retailer in an over-full shopping centre, my body starts to show signs of anxiety, my thoughts turn to agitation, my choices start to lack grace. Friendly conversation with others who are also waiting might stem the rising flood for a while, but will only hold for so long. But if, when I reach the counter and the till, I am thanked for having waited…it is not so much that my irritation is disarmed, but, rather, that my soul is blessed; and blessed, encouraged; and encouraged, empowered to bring heart and mind and strength into alignment, into harmony.

It is my soul that needs to wait, more than anything else. And stilled, attentive, watchful, sees the salvation of God break in.

If I truly believed this, what difference would it make to how I wait in line?