Most of us are tired of waiting and tired of reading about waiting: of all the how-tos and the how-nots and the do this and the don’t do this. Waiting always comes with negative implications and the idea that what we’re waiting for will be infinitely better than where we are. It’s hard to imagine, but sometimes the time of waiting is actually a gift from God. It’s easy to fall into discontentedness and bitterness when God is making us wait, especially when the scale of waiting is worldwide. But in Psalms 27:14 the Bible exhorts us to “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” As believers, we are called to trust in the Lord and what he is doing while we wait. We want to encourage you as you wait, whether you’re waiting to go overseas, for school to return to normal, to see at-risk family members, or simply waiting for something to feel at least a little normal again.

Here are joyful and life-giving things people have found while waiting this year:

“God has been teaching me to be patient.”

“I’ve build camaraderie between myself and other health-care workers.”

“I learned some new hobbies such as embroidery and film photography.”

“The gentle reminders of His constant presence through songs or conversations.”

“I have definitely realized to take things as they come and go with the flow.”

“Lots of companies have had to rethink how they do a lot of things and it has made people more innovative and sparked lots of ideas. Parents have learned new ways to entertain children and children have learned new ways to entertain themselves.

“Overall this year has made lots of people rethink their lives and how they live and I think it’s for the better in some ways.”

“I got to spend a lot of uninterrupted time with my family and significant other! I feel like over the last few months, being forced to stop and breathe has definitely helped me improve those relationships, but to also grow as a person!”

We hope you feel encouraged after reading this list! At Cafe 1040 we pray weekly as a staff. If you’re feeling down or need some extra encouragement shoot us an email at hello@cafe1040.com. We’d love to pray for you!