A Prayer

Prayer by Sarah Are

I confess—

I am good at waiting.

I waited for someone else to be passionate before I made a change.

I waited for you to say, “I love you” before I was honest.

I waited for affirmation about my work before trying harder.

I waited for anyone else to take the lead instead of speaking up.

I waited for you to forget instead of saying sorry.

I wait for a compliment before I feel beautiful.

I wait for your call before calling back.

I wait for an opinion before stating my own.

I wait for a rainy day to slow down.

I wait for a sunny day to get outside.

I wait for Saturdays to call home.

I wait for free time to read my Bible.

And too often, I wait for Sunday to pray.

I have lived well, but I have also sat on my hands,

Turned my head, closed my eyes,

Lived in denial, pretended it would get better,

Believed in someone else’s call over my own,

And ignored the fact that these hands belong to God.

But these hands belong to God.

I guess what I’m trying to say is,

What if Mary waited nine months so that we wouldn’t have to?

And what if the disciples waited three days so that we wouldn’t have to?

There is love to sow,

Peace to reap,

Joy to feel,

And a promised day that I am longing for.

So if you want to join me,

I’ll be busy, unlearning years of sitting and waiting.


(reprinted with permission, What Can't Wait by A Sanctified Art.org, shared originally in 2019)