Hurry Up, Stop, and Wait
Everywhere you look in our fast-paced society, people seem to be in a rush so that they can get to where they need or want to be, for example:
While you’re waiting at a red light – the second it turns green and you don’t move, someone honks the horn and yells, “Go!”
When you’re driving on the interstate and not going as fast as the person behind you – someone honks their horn telling you to move over. Or, if you don’t, the person will speed right past you and get in front of you.
When you’re moving through the airport trying to catch a flight – if you are not moving fast enough, people will literally run right by you and almost knock you over to attempt to catch their own flight.
…and the list goes on and on.
Contrarily, when it comes to being Kingdom-minded and living a Kingdom-lifestyle, God doesn’t emphasize speed or being in a rush the way society does.
There are several scriptures throughout the Bible that emphasize waiting on God. I can attest that when it comes to living God’s way and staying in His will, He often encourages me to pump the brakes, slow down, and wait. Wait on what, you say? Wait on Him. Wait on His direction. Wait on the God-ordained spouse He is sending. Wait for the God-sized, God-ordained door to open. Wait for His greenlight that says “do this”, “go here”, “move there”, “start that business”, etc.
I realize that some of you reading this may be like me: You simply don’t like to wait. With everything moving so fast around us, why should we wait? We are not accustomed to having to wait, especially waiting as patiently as God would intend.
So, I want to share with you a few things that I have learned that have helped me to slow down and wait on God.
Be still.
Have you ever been busy, but not productive? Have you ever been doing so many things at once that it leads to you being physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually exhausted – and you STILL can’t see any results or fruit of your labor?
Maybe it’s time to be still: “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act.” (Psalm 37:7). We are also reminded to “be still and know and that He is God” (Psalm 46:10) and that He doesn’t need our help in solving our problems or fixing our situations.
Don’t allow your feelings or emotions to accelerate pass God.
When I am tired of waiting, I start to feel antsy, anxious, worried or frustrated. There have been some occasions where I felt as if I had to do something, as ANYTHING was better than waiting. This would sometimes lead me to do things, often haphazardly, that God did not lead me to do.
As a result, I began to suffer the consequences of my premature actions that were not pre-approved by God. When we are tired of waiting, it is important to be led by the Holy Spirit. Being led by our feelings or emotions will only gratify the desires of our flesh (Galatians 5:16), and not the desires and will of God for our lives. As our feelings and emotions are constantly changing, we cannot allow anxiety, worry, frustration or any other emotion to lead us to do something which gets ahead of God or goes around God.
During times of waiting and feeling an influx of worry or anxiety, try this prayer: “You are my God. Show me what you want me to do, and let your gentle Spirit lead me in the right path” (Psalm 143:10).
Pray.
Finally, and most importantly, I have learned that when I’m tired of waiting and beginning to feel anxious, frustrated, overwhelmed, or worried – it’s time to pray. Our Playbook encourages us to “be anxious about nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).
So, What’s the Play Call?
If you’re tired of waiting, I encourage you to stop, slow down, and wait on God. Remember: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)
