Waiting on the Bus

Sometimes we have to have faith that God has us where we are at this moment for a reason.

My family and I went tubing recently in Helen, Georgia. There’s a stretch of the Chattahoochee River that runs through that little town that is a tuber’s paradise. It’s kind of like a lazy river that God made.

We have been many times through the years. When our kids were little, my hubby would tether one to his tube and I would tether one to mine. This was an impromptu trip and we were all excited. There aren’t many outdoor activities to comfortably do in Georgia in July and tubing is one.

When we arrived, the line was unbelievably long, but we waited patiently. We knew it would be worth it. When we loaded the bus to be transported to the drop off, it began to rain which was no biggie, but then it began to thunder.

Thunder and water don’t mix. Surely the storm would pass quickly.

We waited on the bus for an hour, some of us more patiently than others. Twice we were told to get off, that the storm had passed and twice, it began thundering again and we had to get back on the bus.

There was lots of complaining. The bus was hot and very crowded and kind of smelly, but it gave us shelter and safety. There were people who had exited the river and were standing underneath trees with there tubes. Trees are not a good place to be under, during a thunderstorm.

I was thankful for our hot, crowded bus.

There were some teens on-board who insisted on getting off. They were unwilling to wait out the storm.

But, the storm did eventually pass, as they always do and we were allowed to exit the bus and enter the river.

I thought about that hot, crowded bus as I floated down the cool, refreshing river. I thought about how I would have liked to have been anywhere else at the time, but I also thought about the safety that it provided.

I was reminded of times in my life where I felt like I was confined in a certain place or space when all I wanted to do was to move forward. I thought about how I would spend hours in prayer, pleading with God to move me out of an uncomfortable situation and into something more refreshing and rewarding.

If I’m honest, I have to admit that there have been times that I was like the group of teens who got off the bus before the storm had passed and I insisted on my own way and timing, instead of waiting on God’s. That never turned out very well.

Years of walking with Jesus have taught me that God’s timing is very different that my own. There are times when I’m called to wait in an uncomfortable, cramped, hot space, like that bus. But, like that bus, God has me in that space for a reason, sometimes for my safety. Sometimes there may be storm going on with dangers that I am unaware of, but He knows.

That’s where faith comes in.

I have also learned that when I wait on God to open the door, instead of forcing it open my own way, the ride and the wait are always worth it.

A thunderstorm and a bus reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂