Waiting in a Way that Honors God

So much of life is spent in limbo. Waiting for a baby, a ride, or a test result. Waiting for a paycheck, a court date, or summer vacation. We wait… and wait… and wait some more.

The year 2020 has given us myriad opportunities to wait… and to wonder. When will schools reopen? When will toilet paper be restocked? How soon will I get my job back? Will the economy rebound? Will we have to wear masks and social distance forever? Can our country survive this election?

Yes, waiting is an inescapable part of living. But what are we supposed to do in the meantime? Is there a way we can wait to the glory of God?

According to the Bible, there is. And I’ve detailed a few such ways below.

How to Wait in a Way that Honors God

• Continue in prayer.

  We may not be able to move forward, but we still have work to do. And that work begins on our knees. We must pray that truth would prevail, that wrongdoing would be exposed, and that God’s will would be done.

  “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Colossians 4:2)

  

• Stay watchful & alert.

  Be vigilant and sober. Don’t be duped into a false security or succumb to apathy. Stand firm and guard against your adversary, the devil, who “prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

  “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” (Mark 13:33)

  

• Take every thought captive.

  Don’t let your fears run away with you. Don’t cede any ground to worry and anxiety. Reign in your racing thoughts. Reaffirm what you know, then entrust the rest to God.

  “We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

  

• Rejoice during hardship.

  Why do trials take us off guard? Didn’t Jesus warn us that we would have trouble in the world? (John 16:33) Moreover, hasn’t He promised to work all things — even hardships and suffering — together for our good and His glory? (Romans 8:28) The knowledge that there’s a divine purpose to our pain is enough to help us rejoice in the midst of it.

  “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

  

• Fix your eyes on Jesus.

  My hope doesn’t lie in social movements or pay raises or political reform. My hope lies in Christ and Christ alone. So that is where my attention must remain, where my confidence must rest, where my thoughts must be fixed.

  “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

  

• Find rest in Him.

  “Little ones to Him belong. They are weak, but He is strong.” Haven’t we sung that truth since childhood? So why do we insist on shouldering heavy burdens He never intended us to bear? We need to cast those cares at the foot of the cross and rest in the assurance that God is still on His throne, even when we don’t understand what He is doing or why.

  “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)

Next time you find yourself in limbo, stop and consider. Check your attitude. How are you spending the interim time? Are you using it wisely? Are you waiting in a way that honors God?