July 16, 2026
Thought and Prayer for the Day
by
Deacon Gary Gannon
Waiting can be hard. We often experience such challenges to our patience starting in childhood when we struggle to countdown the days to Christmas. As a young adult we may have daily checked our mailbox (electronic or curbside) for the acceptance letter from our preferred college or university. Sometimes our patience is stretched after having waited at the airport, for the last ninety minutes, for news about the arrival of our delayed vacation flight. Waiting can be hard.
A close friend of mine recently alerted me to a daily, online Bible study program which I now subscribe to and often find it as energizing as my morning croissants and watermelon slices. One in particular from last month caught my attention as it dealt with the subject of waiting, particularly as it spoke about how one’s prayers to God sometimes are not immediately answered.
The daily posting on the Bible study website referenced the familiar passage from Exodus 32, noting how the Israelites grew tired of waiting for Moses to return down from the mountain following his discussions with God. Although they had witnessed incredible miracles, heard God’s voice, and were committed to obey the LORD, this delay caused their patience to crumble. As a result of their frustration, they built and started worshipping a golden calf.
Last year, I initiated contact with a not-for-profit community agency offering my services to sit on its board of directors. I mailed to the agency’s chairperson an expression of interest and a resume containing details of my years of board and committee experiences. I then waited for a reply acknowledging receipt of my submission and their promise to give the information due consideration. During the intervening weeks, I did ask God to support my offer as indeed I was interested in the mission of this organization and wanted to be part of such a worthy community service.
After two months without a response, I again contacted the agency citing my earlier submission and continued interest in speaking with them about a possible board candidacy. Surprised yet again by not even a phone call or email reply, over the next several weeks acknowledging my interest, I became frustrated and abandoned further efforts in the matter. Last month, I came across the daily online Bible study piece on the challenge of waiting – not only due to circumstances caused by a lack of attention paid by other human beings, but also wondering why God had not helped me out here.
The Bible study’s author, on the issue of waiting, noted the experience of the Israelites frustration in the delay of Moses to come down from the mountain following his talks with God,
“When prayers seem unanswered and God feels distant, we’re tempted to take control. We want to manufacture our own solutions, create our own gods, and force our timeline on the Almighty. But God’s timing is perfect, even when it doesn’t feel that way. His delays aren’t denials – they’re opportunities for our faith to grow deeper. The Israelites’ impatience led them to reverse the created order, attempting to make God rather than trusting the God who made them.”
As I approach the fifth anniversary of being ordained a vocational deacon at All Saints’, I have embraced the notion that my diaconal path is best served by being patient and trusting that God has a plan for me in the months and years ahead. The unresponsiveness by the agency to my expression of interest in serving as a board member may have been due to a number of factors, but I am increasingly trusting that God’s plan for me at this time does not include such a venture. Indeed, my faith has grown deeper from this waiting experience. I have set the matter aside and eagerly wait for new challenges, and the continued guidance of the Holy Spirit, enabling me to serve the members of our parish and the wider community.
Prayer:
Lord, help me trust Your perfect timing even when waiting feels unbearable. Give me patience to trust in Your plan rather than rushing ahead with my own. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
– from Bible in a Year (2026) – www.thepeopleschurch.ca
