This summer my husband got a job, we bought a house, sold a house, enrolled our kids in school and moved. In 2 ½ weeks.
Seriously.
I got whiplash on my way out of town because we left so quickly. When we finally took a breath and posted on social media we were leaving/had left, we got a lot of:
“Wait, what?! You moved?!”
So, if you live in Houston and I didn’t get to say goodbye, please reread the first line of this blog and accept my sincere apologies… it was insane.
Prior to this whirlwind though, my life had been seriously paused. My husband had been unemployed for nine months, forcing us to participate in the universally unpopular activity of waiting.
Emphasis on forced and unpopular.
There’s a lot about waiting in the Bible. It’s never our preference, but it’s often God’s method of choice for us. It’s unpopular because it’s a lot of work. Waiting may imply idleness and watching the clock tick by. But that clock-ticking often evokes fear and frustration. It is a relentless battle to keep those emotions at bay.
FYI: Watching the clock (or the calendar) is only enjoyable when you know the schedule in advance. Amen?
Waiting is tough stuff. It’s the grueling task of not letting negativity assume your future. It’s looking at the face of uncertainty and assuring your heart that God is in it, you are not forgotten, and He has a way out. Assurance that must be reinstated every day! Though physically stuck in time, you are simultaneously running a mental marathon in order to not let your circumstances defeat you.
Waiting is exhausting.
I learned a lot during this season and if you’ve been reading my blogs, you’ve probably picked up on the waiting/trusting theme. Now you know why! I recently captured our story in eleven chapters that I hope to have available soon. Yes, a book is on its way- Waiting Well. (Interested? Be sure to subscribe to this blog to be notified when it’s ready!)
For today, though, can I encourage you with one thought?
As you wait, be intentional to wait on Him.
It’s a subtle, but important mental shift. Why? Because waiting naturally focuses us inwardly. When life lingers, the end goal is usually crystal clear. You know what you want and it’s easy to be consumed by/obsessed with it. The problem is you can’t guarantee your situation will unfold according to your liking.
That circumstance might not change.
That relationship might not turn around.
That healing might not occur.
Here is a lesson I learned the hard way. Disappointment is always on the table if what you are waiting for is anything less than God Himself.
Unlike your situation, the Lord promises and guarantees to deliver. You don’t have to wonder if He will follow through. Waiting on Him means He will:
Renew your strength (Isaiah 40:31)
Make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Help you (Psalm 28:7)
Shelter you (Psalm 90:1)
Surround you with His love (Psalm 32:10)
And the list goes on…
If you had asked me nine months ago what I was waiting for, I would have rattled off a list without hesitation. My husband’s entrance into unemployment was difficult and our waiting began with a specific outline of recommendations for God to fulfill. As I learned to wait on Him, though (instead of just waiting), my heart began to change. Gradually, I let Him scratch off any desires that didn’t match up with His. And you know what?
He didn’t disappoint.
He renewed my strength.
Made my paths straight.
Helped me.
Sheltered me.
And surround me with His love.
And the list keeps going on…
There’s a difference between waiting for something and waiting on Him. One involves uncertainty, anxiety and the potential for disappointment. The other involves assurance, peace and the promise of fulfillment.
Whatever you are waiting for is worth waiting on Him first. Live intentionally by involving Him in your waiting!
Be Intentional:
Compare your waiting with each action in Proverbs 3:5-6 and challenge yourself to live them out. (See Blogs #3, #4, and #5 for a study of each action individually.)
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