Don’t Waste the Wait
The sound of these shoes atop the hardwood floors in the family room gave every indication I was dancing. The sound was a fun one, a fast one. Yes. I was dancing. It was a calculating move, choosing these shoes, as I don’t normally walk around home wearing high heels. But I needed a pair that would make lots of noise! I wear these on special occasions. And to me, this was a pretty special occasion. So, I put them on because I knew they would give me the most fun at the moment and be impactful. Both my daughters, though not wearing high heels, were also dancing and a couple of friends they had over were dancing as well. It was spring break 2020 and we had just been informed by the Fox news channel that the kids would not be returning to school. We all felt the week our schools give for the holiday is never enough. So, we were thrilled to learn the kids would get an extra week or so! But we had no idea what our country was facing, a pandemic!
Fast forward five months later, we’re no longer dancing, but actually in a period of waiting. Waiting. Have you been there? Initially celebratory only to find out later God was calling you to wait. You just didn’t know it yet. What happens when he calls you to wait? Why does he want you to wait? And what exactly are you waiting for? Girl, if you’re like me, you feel like you don’t need to wait, that you are ready for ‘whatever he has for you’ now.
I remember telling God once (or twice, well maybe three or four times actually) “God, I don’t need to wait, I’m ready now so if you want to give it to me now, I can help you if you need. We can work on this thing together!” I know! That was crazy! Thinking God ever needs my help to part the Red Sea, raise Lazarus from the dead, or multiply the widow of Zarephath’s food. He is indeed God all by himself! So, when He is calling you to wait, just wait.
Why did the Israelites need to wait 400 years before God gave them Canaan? Can you imagine waiting that long?
God promised Abraham “ And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God” Genesis 17:8. Yet, God did not do so immediately, and they waited for 400 years to see this promise fulfilled. Why?
Because you’re NOT ready. You think you’re ready. You feel ready. But you’re not. How do I know? Because if you were ready, HE WOULD NOT HAVE YOU WAITING. (And yes I’m shouting)
God allows waiting for many reasons. The Israelites waited because God was building their characters and teaching them patience. Also, he was moving the Amorites out of their way.
Don’t waste your wait by trying to figure out why you are waiting. Embrace the fact that you now know that God has you waiting for a reason and once you are ready according to Him, you will move to the next level of your purpose, or relationship, or career, or home, or whatever you are waiting on. In this season of waiting, prepare yourself. Joshua 3:5 says, “Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” (NIV)
According to author Mark Batterson, consecration is a complete surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ. We relinquish everything to God-our time, talent, and treasure. It’s when you decide to be completely set apart for complete dedication to God. It’s a complete divestiture.
In this time of waiting, I hope you will decide to prepare yourself. I think you will know what that preparation looks like. Don’t emerge from this place of waiting, we as a world, find ourselves in, having wasted the wait. Emerge empowered, having been introspective and willing to make the necessary changes to get to God’s purpose for you. And when others see you after this waiting is over, they will know that you made a decision that changed your life!
