Have you ever fasted and prayed and waited and waited and waited while opportunity after blessing after {insert what you've been praying for} seem to pass you by until you scream WHYYYYY??? WHEN???????? Well, let me tell you a story.
Isaac and I have been together for over 14 years. I just found out this morning that the whole year before he and I met, he had been fasting and praying while purposefully remaining single. He didn't know he was fasting and praying for a wife WHO WASN'T EVEN SAVED YET. He didn't know that he was praying his future wife to salvation THEN to his own arms. I met Jesus only two months before I met Isaac.
Isaac and I have been together for over 14 years. I just found out this morning that the whole year before he and I met, he had been fasting and praying while purposefully remaining single. He didn't know he was fasting and praying for a wife WHO WASN'T EVEN SAVED YET. He didn't know that he was praying his future wife to salvation THEN to his own arms. I met Jesus only two months before I met Isaac.
This reminds me that sometimes we fast and pray for so "long" because the very thing we seek isn't ready for us yet. So, we wait.
And wait.
And wait.
And wait.
And sometimes wait some more.
In anger and impatience? How should we wait? What should that look like?
Let's look at God's word and see what it looks like to biblically wait. Look at all of the action words found in some of the scriptures that tell us to wait. It doesn't seem like such a passive thing after reading these scriptures.
Isaiah 40:31 But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
renew, mount up, run, walk
Psalm 27:13-14 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
look, be strong, take courage
Lamentations 3:25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
seek
Psalm 33:20-22 Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
heart is glad, trust, hope
*our soul waits FOR the Lord, not ON the Lord
Psalm 37:34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
keep his way
James 5:7-8 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
be patient, establish
*side note: when have you ever seen a farmer sit idle and yet he/she is waiting. What happens after you plant? You tend to it daily until harvest and then you work some more. Then you start over. A continual cycle of work, wait, work while you wait, harvest, begin again.
And wait.
And wait.
And wait.
Willow is me waiting
And sometimes wait some more.
Doesn't waiting sound like doing nothing, though? Well, it's not. Here are some unexpected definitions of the word wait:
wait
to remain in a state
in which you expect or hope
that something will happen soon;
to be ready and available;
to supply the wants of;
to serve
In anger and impatience? How should we wait? What should that look like?
Let's look at God's word and see what it looks like to biblically wait. Look at all of the action words found in some of the scriptures that tell us to wait. It doesn't seem like such a passive thing after reading these scriptures.
Isaiah 40:31 But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
renew, mount up, run, walk
Psalm 27:13-14 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
look, be strong, take courage
Lamentations 3:25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
seek
Psalm 33:20-22 Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
heart is glad, trust, hope
*our soul waits FOR the Lord, not ON the Lord
Psalm 37:34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
keep his way
James 5:7-8 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
be patient, establish
*side note: when have you ever seen a farmer sit idle and yet he/she is waiting. What happens after you plant? You tend to it daily until harvest and then you work some more. Then you start over. A continual cycle of work, wait, work while you wait, harvest, begin again.
Think about waiting in adoption.
You're waiting, but you're busy.
Preparing your home, getting a pediatrician, filling out more paperwork than anyone can imagine, learning new dietary needs/preferences, dealing with setbacks, having home visits, doctor's appointments, et cetera times a million.
Preparing your home, getting a pediatrician, filling out more paperwork than anyone can imagine, learning new dietary needs/preferences, dealing with setbacks, having home visits, doctor's appointments, et cetera times a million.
Waiting is purpose.
Think about waiting as a waiter at a restaurant.
You're waiting on multiples tables, always moving. You are available and ready to provide people with what they need for their meal. You expect the food to be ready soon and you supply that food when it's still hot.
Think about waiting as a waiter at a restaurant.
You're waiting on multiples tables, always moving. You are available and ready to provide people with what they need for their meal. You expect the food to be ready soon and you supply that food when it's still hot.
Think about waiting as a believer.
We're waiting as a bride waits for her wedding and groom. In a bustle of activity. Lots of preparation. Moving fast to make your wedding feel how you see it in your head (whether that's big or small or tons of details or not many details). Couples counseling and addressing any issues that may arise. Blood tests, signing papers at the courthouse, preparing your home for two people with different tastes.
We're waiting as a bride waits for her wedding and groom. In a bustle of activity. Lots of preparation. Moving fast to make your wedding feel how you see it in your head (whether that's big or small or tons of details or not many details). Couples counseling and addressing any issues that may arise. Blood tests, signing papers at the courthouse, preparing your home for two people with different tastes.
When Jesus who I've been waiting for, comes, I want him to ask "what have you prepared for me? Who are we bringing with us?"
It's not about performance
in the wait, but preparation.
Maybe God makes such a big deal about us waiting on Him because our soul already does. When our soul and our mind wait in mutual expectation of His arrival, it's a holy wait. It's when waiting becomes a furious flurry of action. We're waiting FOR Him as SENT people. It's a purposeful wait.
Waiting can be excruciating, I get it. I'm writing this as we wait on genetic testing results for our son that won't be in for another month. But if we can see that there is purpose in waiting, and waiting doesn't mean sitting idle, then purposeful activity may just make us forget that we are waiting in the first place.
The time will pass anyway.
We get to choose
how we will act
within the wait.
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