My title is Purposeful Waiting vs Wasteful Waiting.
I want to piggyback a bit on yesterday’s devotion. This idea of waiting is not easily solved with some pious-sounding words; a platitude here or there; a pithy saying like “Wait on the Lord” or “Waiting is good”; or some prayer filled with hackneyed expressions.
No. Waiting is much more important and meaningful than that. The word I’m searching for is Purposeful. I think of time waiting in a doctor’s office (like I will today), where I will wait (hopefully not too long), and either fill my time with meaningful and purposeful things (like reading) or waste it either stewing about waiting or looking at year old magazines. My chiro office is filled with women’s magazines (as if); a JW booklet (not a chance!); some Life Extension supplement magazines (nope too expensive); and maybe an outdated Men’s magazine of some kind.
That example of waiting pales in comparison to God’s waiting room. Waiting on God cannot be seen as a thumb-twiddling time. Waiting on God should not be seen as a “dredge up the past bad stuff” time. Waiting on God should not be seen as an obstruction or a roadblock along the road of life.
There is a much deeper purpose. To borrow from Tripp again:
For the child of God, waiting isn’t simply about what the child will receive at the end of his wait. No, waiting is much more purposeful, efficient, and practical. Waiting is fundamentally about what we will become as we wait.” (p.143) (Emphasis mine)
There it is. I have two options. I can see waiting as a great waste of time, a terrible inconvenience, cutting into my life, obstructing it or even derailing it, OR I can see waiting has purpose. What will I become as I wait? How much like Jesus will I become?
I can find purpose in my waiting or I can waste my waiting. Which will it be?
“Father, as I sit in your waiting room let it not be a lost cause. Let me find purpose in waiting. Let me allow You to be a Master Potter molding me into what you want.”
Bill, I love how you’ve described the importance of finding purpose in waiting on the Lord, because there definitely is. If we open our hearts and minds, God can teach us so much as we wait for Him to move in ways we cannot even begin to fathom. As Tripp says, it is about what we become as we wait.
Blessings!
Thanks Martha. I am learning to submit but it is so hard sometimes. As you put it, an open heart and mind is so important. Thanks again for the comment.
I think you hit it… waiting doesn’t have to be passive. Matter of fact, waiting can be more active than when there is momentum. Waiting is preparation, it’s the calm before the storm where foundation is checked, the roof is checked, the shutters and doors are checked. It’s doing the house cleaning, the stockpiling, and the training. Waiting provides the opportunity to get oneself ready for when the wait is over and God says move.
Thanks, Bill and thanks, Ryan. I so needed to read this today!
Ryan shares some really good stuff here Di. I’m blown away by his insights. And you’re welcome. You know I love you and Jim.
Wow! God used you again as His Voice. I uprooted my whole life and left all my ministries to obediently follow Him to NC from NY. And now I’m in a waiting pattern to be used by Him down here. I asked Him, haven’t I already learned submission? Then, Bill, you write: “Waiting is fundamentally about what we will become as we wait.” I guess He knows that I have more “becoming” to do. And so I will submit and work at being patient as I “become”. Thank you, Bill.
Thanks for the encouraging word Diane. I’d love to hear some day about your move. It sounds exciting and scary all at the same time. So glad we have met online to learn from each other and so glad I have been able to encourage you.
As I get older I realize the wisdom, the opportunities, the goodness in waiting. I admit my younger self didn’t see it that way. Lots of truth in this post, Bill. Thanks for sharing.
My younger self and your younger self must have known each other Pam! Thanks for the kind words.