Is Waiting An Action?

Coaching tennis for many years, I recall saying, “Get ready,” too many times to count. Waiting for the serve or return in tennis is crucial. How you wait, anticipating, preparing for the ball, is important. A couple of weeks ago I wrote a piece about waiting, and “tactical patience.” I ended that piece with a statement about waiting with purpose. I was reminded again this morning during a devotion reading that waiting is an action. How we wait is important. On my journey of faith, I have learned there will be seasons and periods of waiting. It’s nothing new. We see it all in the scripture. In John Chapter 2, Jesus tells his mother that his time has not yet come. He had been waiting on his time. Saul rushes his waiting season in 1 Samuel 13 and it costs him his kingship. Sarah and Abraham waited on the birth of a son. Just a note, he was 100 and she was 90 years old!  Noah waited on the rain, now his had some work to do in the meantime. The one story of waiting that I hadn’t thought of until this morning, was Ester. She waited twelve months (3:12) before being allowed to come to the king, then it wasn’t a guarantee that he would have her back again.

Waiting is important. We have a choice. We can wait with our arms folded, slouched down, pouting, or we can purposefully wait, shoulders back, knees bent, one foot slightly in front of the other, on the balls of our feet, ready. Purposefully waiting, or “tactical patience,” is being aware of God’s presence and that He is preparing us and others. Making waiting an action requires us to acknowledge that God is always with us, and that we need to be allowing God to work in us during our season of waiting. I believe that God is restoring us always. Restoring our brokenness, shame and guilt. Restoring us to our intended created being. To bring glory to Him. A new creation!

As believers in Christ we are called to think of others. In saying that, I believe that in the relationships, and organizations that we work with as pastors, and leaders, that the waiting is not always about us. It could very well be about the preparation of others. We should not assume that God doesn’t have more to in us, but we should not forget that there are others involved as well. It could be that God is needing to prepare them before we move forward a church or organization.
May prayer for myself is that I wait purposefully. Wait, anticipating God’s work in me and those around me. May we celebrate that work and be ready to go and do as God calls us to. Be ready!