I read a quote some time ago from a man named Lou Smeads. He says, “Waiting is our destiny. A creature who cannot, by themselves, bring about something. We wait in darkness for a flame we cannot light; we wait in fear for a happy ending we cannot write; we wait for a ‘not yet’ that feels like a ‘not ever’. Waiting is the hardest work of hope; waiting is the land between where things were and where things will be; and you don’t get to choose when you get to a waiting room, but you certainly get to choose how you will respond to waiting.”
No one really likes to wait, but waiting is very much a part of the rhythm of life. It’s part of the journey of faith. What should we do, and how should we respond, when we find ourselves in a waiting room? How do we navigate in the season of waiting?
I want to give you four things that God put on my heart because I think the natural thing while waiting is to complain. It’s hard to be content in a season of waiting, but God wants us to be content with where we are. I know it’s really easy to say “just trust God for today”, but it’s a much harder thing to actually live out. It’s hard because we want the whole story, but God is always more about the journey than the destination. There is an acronym for W.A.I.T. that I think will help us navigate the waiting room.
W = WORSHIP
Complaining is normal and natural, but worship is supernatural and not normal in terms of waiting. Hebrews 12:28 says this: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful…”
Worship is a posturing of surrender and humility. When I worship, it’s me saying, “God, You’re God and I’m not. You’re in control and I’m not.” What is it for you right now? What’s the thing you are waiting for? Is it for restoration in your marriage? Is it financial breakthrough? Are you waiting for a child to come home? I think we quit far too soon and we miss the blessing that God has. If you quit in the middle of the waiting room, then the waiting room defines you. Worship is the place our strength comes from when we’re waiting on God.
A = ASK
We need to be people that will ask. All through the Bible we’re told to ask God if we want something. The Bible says in James, “You do not have because you do not ask God.” (James 4:2) We need to become a people that are not afraid to ask God. While you’re waiting, tell Him what you want, tell Him what you need. He loves to give us the desires of our heart. Then James goes on to say, “When you do ask and you don’t receive, it’s because you ask with the wrong motives!” (v.3) Our motives must line up with the character of God. It’s not about demanding God to show up and do what we want, or using God like a genie in a bottle. Jesus said, “Take this cup from me, but not My will but Yours be done.” (Mark 14:36) Our posture should always be one of humility, trusting Him to be God.
I = INVITE
Invite God into the story. I think so often when we’re in the waiting room, we find ourselves either in this awkward place where we want to be alone and we think we can handle it, or we’re embarrassed to share.
In Revelation it talks about this Church at Laodicea, and Jesus speaks saying…”Here I am, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person and they with me;”(Revelation 3:2) That is a statement of intimacy! Jesus is saying, “Hey! Here I am!” He doesn’t break the door down. He doesn’t use a master key; He wants us to invite Him into our story.
This church in Laodicea had discovered an eye salve that put them at the center of affluence, but they were also the ones that God called “lukewarm”. God is looking into their lives, knocking on the door saying, “I want to be a part of your situation. I know you guys are really busy and you look like you’ve got it all together, but I would love to have intimacy with you.” Invite God into the story. Let’s not be so busy thinking we can figure it out. He already knows the end of the story we are waiting on.
T = TRUST
Trust God. When God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments, He gave them guardrails for life from all His wisdom and knowledge. But just days later they’re forgetting God and they want to go back to bondage. In just a few days, they are getting impatient and they want to go back to Egypt and be slaves. Their faith – their trust –so quickly faded, but when you’re in the waiting room trusting God is the currency of the journey. Too often we take matters in to our own hands and do what we think is right. Trust God, do the next one right thing you know to do as defined by God’s word, and allow Him to speak into your situation. Don’t be in a hurry. God is not in a hurry. God was more about forming the Israelites’ character in the desert, than He was about getting them to the Promised Land. | 