I love that the Bible has a word for every time and season we go through, and when you’re in a season of waiting, you’re guaranteed to hear this one. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings like eagles that soar. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint”(Isaiah 40:31). If you’ve ever been in a waiting period that seemed to be extra long, don’t feel bad if you rolled your eyes after hearing that verse. I definitely have and it was likely more than once.
No matter how efficient this world becomes, we will always find ourselves having to wait for something. And whatever we’re waiting on, we know it’s worth waiting for, so we can get a bit antsy. This isn’t going to be a conversation about how to be patient, rather, it’s an opportunity for you to evaluate your waiting process. Ask yourself this question… “What do I do while I’m waiting?” You’re probably thinking that you just sit around and try not to make too many moves while you wait for that moment that changes your life, but you’ve gotta look deeper.
What are you saying?
We have to watch our mouths sometimes, not for explicit language (although we should), but for language that counteracts the production of the Fruits of the spirit. Are you whining and complaining that things haven’t moved yet? Are you speaking negatively about your situation or even worse, yourself? What you say matters. Death and life still reside in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). This is why folks tell us to praise Him in advance (shout-out to Marvin Sapp). When you’re praising God for what He’s done and what is yet to come, that’s how your faith is renewed and strengthened. You put yourself into remembrance and can be rest assured that God won’t fail you. He ain’t about that life!
What are you doing?
People always want to talk about the changes they’re going to make – how they’re going to improve physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually … But how many of us are still motivated to press on and reach those goals? It can be tough. We want to become better at giving but we’ve got bills to pay or things we want. We want to have a better prayer life and devotion to studying the Word, but social media keeps grabbing our attention and eating up our time. These are circumstances we can all identify with, but what you spend most of your time doing is an indication of your value. Jesus said that what you treasure is evidence of where your heart is (Matthew 6:21). What you spend your (borrowed) time doing in any season, but especially while you’re waiting, shows you and God what you value most. Changing your actions to better reflect God’s desires for you is instrumental in your preparation for His promises and blessings to come into your life and stay for a while.
While you wait, do the things that require you to sacrifice your treasures for invaluable time spent with God and walking in His character. Give to the poor, serve your community, love others, be kind to yourself, and work on that project God placed on your heart. Worship, get off your phone and into your Bible. Pray with others and on your own. A waiting season is God’s chance to isolate you, revealing what’s keeping you from walking into your next and giving you the posture to receive it and enter into that new season with grace.
Don’t wait without being watchful. This is such a pivotal season. Even more than the one you’re waiting on. This is where everything that actually needs to happen, happens. Be mindful of what you’re doing while things don’t seem to be changing at all, and you’ll see that God was actually waiting on you to grow into who He needs you to be for that which you’ve been waiting for.
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 18:21; Isaiah 40:31; Matthew 6:21
