While We Wait {3 Things We Can Do}

Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14 NLT

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about waiting on God and finding my hope in Him. I said my choice is to wait on Him, but I didn’t say it was easy.

Waiting sounds passive, but it’s not. Waiting does not mean doing nothing. {Tweet this}

Waiting on God is controlling my urge to take over. It’s letting go of my desire to know the details sooner, rather than later. It’s refraining from taking immediate action just because I think I know what’s best.

Waiting on God doesn’t mean we sit around letting life go by while we watch. We can still be active while we’re waiting.

*Three things we can do while we wait on God…

Spend time with Him.

This means we spend time in prayer, not only talking to God, but also listening for Him. That might be either a planned prayer time or a running conversation with Him throughout the day. Or perhaps it’s both scheduled time and an all-day discussion.

Tell Him everything on your mind—worries, concerns, fears, what’s keeping you up at night, and how you feel. He already knows what you’re struggling with, but taking it to Him helps us deal with it and starts the conversation. Ask for wisdom and guidance.

Don’t forget about silent time with God—time to listen and just focus on Him. Many times, I’m unable to see what He’s showing me until I stop talking and trying to think through my own solutions. Fortunately, God is patient and He’ll wait until I’ve worn myself out.

Acknowledge where you see God at work.

When we’re waiting for the big answers, it can be easy to overlook God’s work in other areas. Look for the small things that remind you He is with you. One time, when I was upset about several situations, I was reminded of His presence in new purple flowers on my African Violet plant that sits in my kitchen window. It doesn’t bloom often and He used it to get my attention.

When we look for Him, we will see Him at work. It might not be in the ways we’re hoping for at that moment, but seeing His hand in other ways shifts our focus from our problems to Him. Sometimes, I just need the reminder that He’s with me, and then I can breathe again.

Keep moving forward.

If we’re not moving forward, we grow stagnant. That’s not what we want, nor what God wants. We can still be active while we trust God and wait on Him.

What does that mean?

We do the next thing. We keep taking care of our families. Even when we can’t see what’s ahead, or what the future looks like, we don’t abandon what God has blessed us with. Love your family and friends. Spend time with those who encourage you and with those whom you can encourage. Be an example of what it looks like to walk in faith, trusting God with both what you can and cannot see.

Keep pursuing your interests. Maybe now isn’t the time to start that business or go back to school, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be time for it in the future. In the meantime, do what you can. Keep yourself active with hobbies and learning new things. Not only will it keep your mind active, it helps to distract from what you might be waiting for.

Keep dreaming. Despite what your days look like right now, life moves fast and seasons change. Don’t get stuck in the way things are right now. Although it may seem like a long time before circumstances will change, don’t lose hope. God is at work, and when the time is right, He will give you a glimpse of what He’s working on. {Tweet this}

In Christ,

Laura

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