Waiting on God.

Do you ever feel like life is going nowhere...like time is standing still? Sometimes I just feel like an overwhelming passion is brewing inside me, but there is no outlet...no huge task I can poor my fire into...no huge world problem I can solve with my fervor.
I was thinking about Joshua today. Until recently, whenever I thought of Joshua, I would think of him scouting out Canaan and having faith that God could overcome the enemies of the Israelites; or of him leading the march around Jericho believing God would give His people the city. But recently I've been thinking about Joshua as a young boy. Joshua was the aide to Moses, while Moses was leading the Israelites. Anywhere Moses went Joshua also went. When God summoned Moses to speak with Him on the mountain top, Joshua was there. When called called Moses to the tent of meeting, Joshua was there. Exodus 33:11 is talking about God speaking with Moses in the tent of meeting, "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent."
I can't help but wonder what the heck Joshua did in the tent of meeting without Moses? My imagination loves to run away with stuff like this. It must have been kind of overwhelming to be such a close witness to the power of God at such a young age. What an amazing opportunity!
At this time, Moses is pretty much the only guy that is truly God's "friend"; he is the only one having this kind of communion with God. And young Joshua is the only one getting to witness every moment of it. I wonder if Joshua ever felt left out when God and Moses were talking. I wonder if he ever thought to himself, "I could talk to God like a friend too...if only He would turn His attention to me and use me." I bet sometimes Joshua felt so filled with passion for God that he didn't know what to do with himself. It is no wonder that when Joshua faced the people of Canaan or the wall of Jericho, he was completely ready. The fire that had stirred in him from childhood could finally be released.
I pray that the fire in my heart will continue to prepare me for the call God has put before me. And I pray that I will never resent the waiting period; this is where I learn the character of God, so I can trust Him when He asks me to move.