Actively Wait

Here we find a directive that suggests our waiting is to be an active waiting—not a “put your head in the sand” mentality. Charles Stanley wisely said, “Waiting [on the Lord] is a directed, purposeful expectancy.” He said it is not “twiddling my thumbs” but “standing on tiptoe waiting for His further instructions.”[i]

I love that word picture. We are to be waiting with bated breath for the Lord to act whenever it is that He chooses to do so. We are wise to admit that in some situations as we wait, there is absolutely nothing we can or need to do but to pray, back off, and accept the fact that the circumstances cannot be aided by our input. As we wait for fruit to come from seeds we have planted, as we wait for healing from disease or relationships to develop, we simply wait while making ourselves busy doing the things that we know to do to fulfill God’s calling in our lives.

Sometimes being strong and taking courage means we can be productive while we wait. Remember that God doesn’t need us to be His assistants, however. So, if you are single and desire to be married, present yourself as a godly woman; take advantage of opportunities to be in the company of godly single men.

If you have a lost relative, pray for ways to make an impact even when the person will no longer listen to you. Show Christ’s love by relentlessly living out the gospel in your acts of selfless service in spite of no reciprocation.

Have common sense too! If you are seeking to lose weight and are tired of waiting for good results, don’t succumb to the great sale on doughnuts and then pray for willpower. Keep the doughnuts out of the house.

We actively wait in all situations by praying fervently and by claiming, meditating upon, and memorizing the biblical promises that are so accessible to us. It is a simple fact that when we are actively meditating on God’s Word, we are not capable of obsessing on our circumstances. Our brains cannot be intent on two things at once.

Oh Lord, implant your Word in me and use it to encourage and uplift me as I seek to be strong and take courage. Amen.

[i] Charles Stanley, Handbook for Christian Living (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), 365–366.