Celebrate in the Waiting

There is always someone who is getting something we desire... before us.   An engagement, a baby, a new house, a promotion, a promise from God, a dream fulfilled, a [you fill in the blank]. We all have that one thing that seems to hit closer to home that somehow, for whatever reason, keeps passing us by as we wait and wait. You may have done everything logical you can think of to position yourself for this one thing but still NOTHING happens. Maybe you’ve even said to God, “Come on! I am doing my part, do yours already!” as one by one, close friends start to reach this pivotal life milestone. Then another and another, and each time you celebrate. Every success. Every [you fill in the blank].

I, like you, have had my fair share of waiting. A dear motherly figure once asked me , “Theresa, do weddings make you sad?”  She was trying to give room for me to feel disappointed by my prolonged single state and she genuinely meant well. Without hesitation I replied, “Not at all, I love weddings!. I love celebrating my friends!” And I truly meant it. Yet there are moments, when my exclamations of congratulations are followed by a sinking feeling in my stomach.  It is in these moments when I begin to wonder how much celebration I have left to give. Can you relate? Have you ever wondered how you can celebrate someone when you don’t feel like celebrating?

Here are a three things I have found helpful in seasons of waiting when you simply do not feel like celebrating:

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Take your eyes off of yourself.  I know that my eyes are facing inward when a victory of another that should be producing hope, life and confidence in the faithfulness of God, produces comparison, sadness and doubt instead.  In those moments, we tend to feel that God has overlooked us or that he decided we were unfit for his promises. But as it turns out, he is not in the business of forgetting. When we get too focused on ourselves and our lack we become short sighted. Not only do we miss opportunities to celebrate others, we end up missing out on the good things right in front of us; the good gifts that God longs to give us in our waiting. Look around you, take in all of his goodness, and receive all that he is offering you in your current season. Let him fill you with gratitude and celebration.

Rejoice with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15).  Maybe you are single and another one of your close friends got engaged.  Maybe you have been struggling to conceive and each passing month has become a painful reminder. It might not be time to celebrate your victory yet but it is the time to celebrate the lives of others around you.  Have there been a few times when I have said, "Wow! I am so happy for you!" while my insides are turning within me?  Yes, I am human. We have all had these moments.  But what good does it do to wallow in self-pity? If you are able to freely celebrate them now, they will be there to celebrate with you later!

Let their joy give you hope.  Sometimes it feels too vulnerable, too scary to hope.  But when my perspective is correct and I am able to genuinely celebrate the victories of others I find I am filled with courage and great expectation. Take heart when someone close to you has a moment of triumph, grab ahold of it! Let it act as a living testimony that fills you with hope.  “If this could happen for them, it could happen for me too. If God was faithful for them, surely this is who he is, a God who keeps his promises.”

I have had my fair share of waiting and I can guarantee that I will have my fair share more.  It may not be over the same thing (Lord please no), but waiting nonetheless. The truth is, we have a God who has suffered long in his very own waiting.  He has suffered long in love. And this God who is full of joy, full of love, full of celebration, is full of longsuffering too. If you are having a hard time celebrating in the midst of waiting today, reach out to the one who knows better than anyone else what you are going through.  Ask him to fill you with celebratory joy while you wait for your moment of victory. A moment when he, along with many others will celebrate you!

"Not only so, but we[a] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." –Romans 5:3-5

Theresa Babbitt

Theresa Babbitt is a California girl to the core. Based in the LA area, Theresa has a passion to see followers of Jesus launched into every sphere and subculture both in her own backyard and abroad. With a long history working with prayer ministries such as TheCall, she is currently building a business and putting feet to her prayers, she invites you to do the same.