Waiting is not my strong suit. I don‘t like waiting for others to do their part. I don’t like waiting for something to happen. I don’t like waiting for doors to open. I don’t like waiting for circumstances to change. I don’t like waiting.
In the midst of my waiting, a dear friend sent me author John Ortberg‘s thoughts on waiting. He states that Biblical waiting is nothing like what I stated above. Biblical waiting is not passive. Ortberg describes waiting as a confident disipline that is expectant, active and sometimes a painful clinging to God. He says that it is saying to God, I will trust you even though the circumstances around me are not turning out the way I want them to, and may never turn out the way I want them to.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun. 7Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil. (Psalm 37:4-8 NIV).
Ortberg goes on to identify three requirments of a trusting heart. First, it requires that I will trust that God has good reasons or having me wait even if I don’t know what they are. I will trust that God knows what He is doing. Second, waiting requires a confident humility that recognizes that I am not in control. Third, it’s important for me know how to recognize God’s voice.
My heart would like to think this is no problem. Biblical waitng is easy. Right? My head, on the other hand, says waiting painful and hard. My head fights it every step of the way. Truth is this is a work in progress for me. I waffle between my head and my heart. My head want to control and my heart wants to trust. So, my focus is the third step. I will focus on listening for the voice of God. Listening quietly for direction from Him always provides comfort, peace and renewed strength.
How are you at waiting? Does your head or your heart win? Share your experience here and breathe life and bring hope to others.