My porches are some of my favorite places to just sit and listen. No music playing. No baseball game on the radio. Only the chatter coming from the chickens, the distinct call of a Bobwhite Quail, or maybe another airplane taking off or landing. Until that unmistakable buzz. It’s very familiar to me now. I can hear it above other things since I know what to listen for. My hummingbirds. (Yes. They’re mine. They return to me because I take such good care of them.) But the waiting? That’s my least favorite part. I wait for them to show up each spring. Then, once they arrive, I wait for them to visit the porch on their daily journeys. I really don’t like waiting. In general. It’s one of my least favorite things.
We wait for a lot of things: our kids to grow up, a raise at work, the report from the doctor, the check to come in the mail, or a pie to bake. We wait for the change of seasons, our baseball team to play better, or a slow waiter to bring our drinks. We often become impatient in the waiting. We focus on all of the things we’re not happy about (even things that have nothing to do with what we’re waiting for). It’s this vicious cycle that has the capacity to take us out or pull us under.
There are a long list of people from the Bible who waited. Abraham was promised a son. Isaac was born 25 years later. Joseph waited in jail for 13 years for a crime he didn’t commit. Moses was hanging out in Egypt for 80 years before leading the Israelites out. David was anointed by Samuel as the next king, but that didn’t actually take place for another 15 years. It would seem that God must be up to something in our waiting.
Many times I’ve hoped or prayed for things that from my finite, human perspective seemed like a good idea. Surely God wants me to have a job that will help support me as a young mom. Right? How could that be bad? And I’m certain He would agree with my request for a negative result on my blood work. So many things we believe we understand.
Yet with each passing day, the next trial, the coming storm, there’s a tremendous opportunity. Waiting is not wasted. Maybe there’s an area of our life that God wants to fine-tune before He answers. Maybe some excavation of our heart is in order. Could it be that our mind isn’t where it should be? I wouldn’t want Him to give me something that I’m bound to ruin.
While we’re waiting, what are we doing? Do we drown out the silence with another project, binge another Netflix series, or whatever other things will distract us? Or do we lean in? Really listen. Try to hear what He’s saying. Pour over scripture as if our life depends on it. What about worship? Have you ever tried to worship through something? I mean really, wholeheartedly worship.
Some of the most awful times of my life have been transformed by making the decision to worship in the waiting. So much of our life is like shifting sand; changes come and go before we can hardly see what’s happened. But God? He is unchanging. He’s immovable. So instead of giving any of our energy, attention, or waiting to the enemy, what if we worship?
As we shift our focus to worship, there are little miracles that happen. First and foremost, with our eyes fixed on Jesus, our waiting is put in proper perspective. Next, in our worship (to include thankfulness, etc.) we’re aligning ourselves with Him. This ultimately can result in being able to discern and hear from Him. Just like when I’m sitting on the porch waiting for my hummingbirds, I need to be attentive.
Waiting is often painful; literally and figuratively. Waiting for your child to be sober. Waiting for the biopsy result. Waiting for your marriage to be healed and restored. Waiting for the apology that’s long overdue. I’ll be the last person to minimize the volume of waiting. Yet it’s in the waiting that I’ve done the most growing, learning, and trusting. It’s in that tension that I find release. It’s the place of sweet surrender to the ONE who knows the beginning from the end and the waiting in between.
Psalm 40:1 ~ I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
Yes! This is it right here. In my waiting is where my faith grew stronger, louder and more apparent. In my waiting is where God found me again with my arms wide open… giving everything to him. In my waiting is where his glory shines through!
Thank you for this. I love you and I absolutely love reading your stories ❣️
Yes, I know all about waiting. It’s the time between unwavering faith and God’s blessings. He grows our patience, love and hope in Him during the waiting and then just when we least expect it, He smiles and the waiting is over. I love you friend.