REFOCUS
Breath deeply as you pray, “Those who wait upon the Lord, He will renew their strength.”
READ
2 Tim 2:4
No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.
Isaiah 40:31
But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
2 Chronicles 20:17
You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. He is with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Tomorrow, go out to face them, for the Lord is with you.
REFLECT
The Waiting Soldier
A soldier once described his time in the military as “hurry up and wait.” Though we may think of the military as actively engaged in war, much of the time is spent in preparation. Even on the battlefield one must stay alert through long periods where it seems like nothing is happening.
Yet, we don’t have to be soldiers to know that although waiting may seem like an easy thing to do, it can be very difficult. Just think of a time when you were in a slow-moving line or stuck behind a dump truck on a hilly road. When waiting, the mind wanders, time seems to pass more slowly and drowsiness takes it toll.
Throughout the Bible, Christians are compared to soldiers. And while the scripture’s focus is normally on the truth that believers are fighting a battle against evil or the evil one, it is clear that waiting is also a discipline that is part of the call. That skill does not come easy. In fact, it may take years of training. Standing still is one of the most difficult of orders.
Some of these are times of indecision and confusion. Though we want to serve God we are simply unclear what to do. Other times we feel strongly called to a goal or vision, yet it eludes us. Nothing seems to come together. Even His promises seem postponed.
In those times we can be tempted to be overcome with despair. Retreat seems the best or only course. At other times, we are tempted to rush in and try to make things happen by the force of our words, personality, or sheer determination.
But when confusion or difficulties block us from moving forward we might consider, “Is this a waiting time?” Am I being called, like every soldier, to simply hold my ground?
Psychological studies that show how one can get through the difficult time of waiting can be helpful here. Here’s a quick summary of their takeaways and their application to spiritual life. None of them will totally relieve the stress of waiting – but they will make it more manageable.
Get curious. Did you know that one reason hotels put mirrors in elevators is to make the wait seem shorter? Use the time of waiting to examine your motives, your desires and your dreams. It is always possible that God wants to bring change in you before He changes your circumstances or moves you forward.
Surrender. This is the time to remind yourself that you are not in charge – as painful as that might be. You are not the general and the ultimate outcomes do not depend solely on you. This is the time to say, “Lord, ‘Not my will, but yours be done’ (Lk 22:42) Research shows that anxiety makes the wait seem even longer. Pre-emptively strike out at anxiety by “casting your care” on the one who “cares for you.” (1Pet 5:7)
Return to what you do know. It’s been found that people are more at peace when they are told, “The doctor will see you soon.” That knowledge gives them a foundation on which to wait. Return to the memories of God’s faithfulness in your life, others’ lives and in the lives of those recorded in scripture. Allow those memories to be a foundation for your time of waiting.
Wait with the others. The research shows conclusively that waiting alone seems much slower than waiting with others. That principle can be applied to our spiritual lives as well. Bring trusted others into your time of waiting. Share your discouragement or indecision. Allow them to encourage and comfort you.
Repurpose through prayer and reading scripture. Seeing the waiting experience as a learning and growth experience inserts meaning into what can seem to be purposeless. It should come as no surprise that people who focused on something meaningful were more able to wait without anxiety. The time of waiting can be repurposed as can be a time to gain strength.
Watch for God. Like a soldier on a watchtower looks for movement, find the little evidences of His care and give thanks for these. They need not be related to what you are waiting on. Even looking for them will make you more skilled at seeing an answer when it does come. Our temptation is to look at what is not happening. When you don’t know what to do look to see what He appears to be doing. What doors are opening or closing?
Waiting is difficult. These takeaways will likely not eliminate the challenge. Yet learning how to wait can make the time productive and provide peace, even in the midst of uncertainty.
Accepting that learning this skill is part of a soldier’s training is key to survival and victory is critical. Both the soldier who lags behind and the one that runs ahead are apt to end up as casualties. The opposite is true of those who learn the discipline and skill of waiting. For them the scripture promises, “those that wait on the Lord, He will renew their strength.”
RESPOND
Questions to Consider
- Is there something you are waiting for?
- What would strengthen you while you wait?
- What can you see that God has done while you are waiting?
- What keeps you from wanting to wait?
Prayer
Make this a prayer your own with a simple “Amen” which means “so be it!”
Wait, patiently wait, God never is late;
Your budding plans are in Your Father’s holding,
And only wait His grand divine unfolding.
Then wait, wait, Patiently wait.
Trust, hopefully trust,
That God will adjust Your tangled life;
and from its dark concealing,
Will bring His will, in all its bright revealings.
Then trust, trust, Hopefully trust.
Rest, peacefully rest
On your Savior’s breast.
Breathe in His ear your sacred high ambition,
And He will bring it forth in blest fruition.
Then rest, rest, Peacefully rest!
– Mercy A. Gladwin
Blessings,
Rev. James R. Needham, PhD, MDiv