“God often gives us the promise way before He gives us the process.” That was the opening of a devotional I started reading recently. When we are born, we do not come into the world with the gift of waiting. A baby cries because they want to eat and want to eat NOW! They say patience is a virtue but it certainly isn’t something that comes naturally. Not many people that I know of enjoy waiting. Have you sat at a red light recently? LOL
I wrote a blog late last fall about waiting so I won’t repeat that, but it was written in a time of my life where everything was uncertain. I had left a full-time position and what was normal for me for 38 years. Security, safety, familiarity. And into the unknown, the unchartered. About 3 or 4 months in I started having questions. Did I hear from God? Did I hear correctly? Was it the right time to take action? There were many moments of self-reflection and it was perhaps one of the strongest internal battles I had yet to fight. I’m happy to say that the answer to all those questions was a resounding yes.
BUT, in the time of stillness, when God doesn’t seem to be interested, or listening, we have several choices. I want to give you some quick thoughts on this today. I feel like someone needs to hear this and be reminded that He is there.
*We can do the work for God! Oh I know we would never do that, however, if we realistically look at things, many times we take things into our own hands. The devotional I started references Abraham and Sarah and the birth of the promised child. God was moving a bit slow for them, so they quickened the pace by making it happen in their time, not God’s. I know that one stings. I’ve been there.
*We can abandon the dream or plan God has birthed in our hearts. I know that full well. During the time of questioning, I made some calls about pursuing something different than what God planted in my heart, all the while knowing that it wasn’t what He wanted.
*We can turn to bitterness or other things to dull the pain of what we are experiencing. When God is silent, it’s easy to get mad at Him. Perhaps you have never done that. I had some pretty honest conversations with Him. There were a few weeks at the end of the year that I just really stopped talking with Him. In the mourning and grief of what I let go of and the relationship changes along the way, all I could focus on was the immediate. Everything I knew to be true about Him was still there, He was still faithful and still good. Yet my anger and frustration with not seeing that faithfulness and goodness led me to isolate and wait in bitterness. In isolation, it’s always easy to begin to feel sorry for yourself. I was waiting, but I was waiting with a hurt and angry heart.
*Lastly, we can sit in the stillness and just be still. The psalmist tells us to “be still and KNOW, that He is God. It’s in the stillness that we eventually hear His still small voice. I well remember the morning in my office while I was praying, He gave me the picture of the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea. Eqyptians behind them, unknown in front of them. The only thing they realistically could do was “keep walking”. That was the Word that I needed from my Father. Just keep walking Son. Keep trusting. I have been faithful. And most importantly, I am with you. When you keep walking, you eventually reach the Promised Land.
I hope that if you are in a season of waiting, you will take a few minutes today and just sit. Sit in the stillness, sit in the silence, sit in the waiting. It might feel awkward at first, but if you do it enough, you will begin to hear His voice. Take time to pause, pray, and look for God right where you are. You will begin to feel His closeness, even when others are not there. He will never leave us, but He waits for us to accept His invitation to walk through the Red Sea with Him. “Don’t compromise your promise by refusing to wait in the still place.”
