What does it mean to “wait”? The Bible says “wait on the Lord.” Right now, I am listening to the wind hum through the window sashes, making a sound like a pitch pipe. I am waiting for spring, which comes in May here in Chicago.
I’m waiting to see what publishers think of my latest proposal, I’m waiting for a check from a magazine I wrote for, and I’m waiting God to provide enough light for the next step in my journey.
Such waiting is not passive, but active. It required me to write the proposal, to secure the magazine assignment and write the article, and it is understood that I must listen and seek God’s wisdom if I am ever to apply it to my life. We take action, then wait for God to respond.
And this is the hard part—while waiting for the unresolved things to be resolved, I must continue to stir up other things. To send another query, to write another article, or chapter. To call another editor, even though she may reject me. To ask God for what I need, even though asking requires me to risk that answers may not match expectations. To pray yet again before I know how my last prayer will be answered.
We’re in the last couple of weeks of Lent–waiting for Easter. Easter commemorates Jesus’ resurrection. But for the disciples, it was a weekend of excruciating waiting–after Jesus died, but before he arose.
Waiting implies hoping, and looking forward, as well. I’m hoping that the conference I’ll speak at later this month will glorify God, that it will inspire and help people. I’m looking forward to it. And as I wait, I prepare. I craft messages to deliver, I review my notes. I keep in touch with the conference organizers to be sure everything is set up. I’m waiting, but active in that waiting.
Waiting on the Lord has to do with faith. The Bible says this kind of waiting is hoping. We hope for things we have not seen, but we trust that God will keep promises. God will be faithful.
The economy and all its scary repercussions have some of us in a “wait and see” mode. But this is a different sort of waiting—the waiting that immobilizes us with fear. Waiting on the Lord means trusting, with confidence, that God will provide, and lead, and that grace is sufficient.
Psalm 130 says:
“I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
6 I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.”
What are you waiting for?
Thanks for this post, Keri. I appreciate that you clarified that “waiting” isn’t passively sitting around. We do our part, then wait.
Hi Keri,
I think we all do waiting a little differently depending on what God is trying to get at in our lives. For me waiting has meant not moving, it meant sitting still long enough to listen to direction. When I wanted to move in a direction, I was very aware that I was in control of things that God wanted me to not be. In my waiting period, which was over 7 years, of listening to God’s direction regarding marriage. I did not date, I listened, then I moved. I moved after I heard the voice of God tell me where and when to go. For me, I have a terrible habit of asking God to do something, then making it happen on my own strength. I needed to let go long enough for God to show me His faithfulness never fails me. It was truly an amazing time with God to wait on His word to move ahead…
Teresa has an interesting perspective. I agree with you both…we need to be active in our waiting at times, and be still in our waiting at other times. In fact, I think our lives (or at least mine!) include periods of both at the same time but in different aspects of life. For me, I have to be active in working for changes I know God wants in some areas of life, while at the same time I am being still and prayerful for direction in other areas. Then, when I feel clear direction in those other areas, I might need to be still and come back to God to hear about the first areas I was just acting in. Does that make sense? Thank you for your perspectives.