Waiting rooms are often a place of discomfort. The simple thought of placing life on hold,
only to step into a four-walled environment, for an unspecified period of time,
will cause an adventurous leader to shudder.
Dreamers and visionary leaders set out on a path with a perceived
end-goal. Imagine watching a night football
game where the team with possession is within feet of the win and the entire
stadium loses power. No one is injured,
but the game is forced into an indefinite commercial break.
For years, I envisioned what many have labeled the “waiting
rooms” of life as the lobby of a doctor’s office. Once the local news playing on the corner
television loses its appeal, the only available magazines are issues of Women’s
Day, Highlights, and Ranger Rick from 1997.
Eventually, taking a stroll to the front desk to inquire about the wait
time proves to be a disappointment as, “It shouldn’t be much longer now,”
is the response that has been on loop since the day the office opened its
doors.
While pouring out my heart to a dear friend over lunch last week,
she gracefully mentioned that it is difficult for Primary Leaders to be in
waiting rooms. I couldn’t agree
more. Waiting has never been my
forte. Compulsive purchases have resulted
in a few instances of Buyer’s Remorse, I find myself rephrasing ideas if my
listener doesn’t grasp the concept immediately, and I am frustrated when my plans
are derailed. These are all examples of
emotional immaturity that I have learned to identify. I would like to believe that I am becoming more
disciplined in my response.
At
approximately 10:30 this morning, my personal illustration of life’s waiting
rooms faced an extreme makeover. For far
too long, I have mistaken a training room
for a stale and outdated lobby. The elements of a fitness center provide an excellent image
of the place we find ourselves when the pause button is unwelcome:
Weights : Without
resistance it is impossible to gain strength.
Treadmills : Even
though the rotation of the belt feels monotonous, the end result is increased
endurance.
Balance Boards : Balance is achieved by willfully spending
time on an unstable surface where there is a safe place to land.
Mirrors and Scales : A true reflection exposes the fruit of
the process, which is noted through an accurate measurement.
Spending time in a training room that challenges the mind,
will, and emotions versus the body. The individual is then able to emerge more mature,
better equipped, strong, balanced, sharp, and confident. While it would seem that developing a narrow
focus would render a leader paralyzed to execute beyond the walls of the
gymnasium, when the landscape is once again revealed, every distraction fades to
grey and the goal shines brightly on the horizon.
The anxiety associated with the waiting room leads me
to fumble through my key ring of strategies in search of an escape. By attempting to force a change by planning
the perfect route or, sitting in complacency, hoping that someone will come to
the rescue, it is as though each response is a key that fits the keyhole, but
fails when put in motion. While expressing gratitude toward
his audience in Philippians 4, Paul explained his “ah ha moment” when he discovered the key that not only fits perfectly, but opens the lock every time: “I am not saying this because I am in need,
for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is
to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret
of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,
whether living in plenty or in want.”
Philippians 4:11-12 (NIV)
From this day forward, I intend to spend time in the
transformed training room, knowing that I too, hold a key that will open the exit
door at the appointed time. I refuse
to allow this opportunity to be wasted, but instead expect a return on investment!
