What To Do While Waiting

Several years ago I found myself in a serious waiting season in my career.  I had faced a series of tests prior to this season and to find myself there was another form of testing.  But for that season of my life, it was the final test.  I was so devastated by the events surrounding that season that I actually lost my hair.  The Lord encouraged me and even gave me a dream showing me that the stress I was under would result in hair loss.  During that time He kept using others to encourage me as well to trust Him.  I received a card from a friend in the dance ministry I was a part of and she shared about God’s faithfulness during “winter seasons”.  It was the first time I had been told about God’s seasons and that He moved in cycles and seasons in our lives.  I realized that I was in what He called, a winter season.  But even though I was waiting for the next door to open in my career, there were specific things I was called to do while waiting:

1. Worship.  I would literally spend hours worshipping Him.  I would lay on my face on the floor and get lost in His intimacy.  I would study His word and experience great revelation and understanding of His personhood.  As a result my faith was increasing without me even realizing it.  He was preparing me for His promise.

2. Exercise.  At the time I had joined a local gym and loved participating in their kickboxing class.  Exercising releases chemicals in the body that cause us to feel better.  God was not only ministering to me spiritually, He was ministering to me physically.  Exercising was a healthy form of releasing my stress and fears.

3. Ministry.  I was really involved with my church and was helping to put together programs in the church.  I was staying very close to the body of Christ and in fellowship with likeminded people.  These people understood what God was doing in me and encouraged me to continue following His path even though it was very difficult.  Volunteering can also be a great form of ministering to others.

4. Dance.  Dancing is a form of worship for me and I was involved in a dance ministry at the time.  Dancing ministered to me both spiritually and physically.  It was another healthy outlet for the stress and fear I was experiencing.  It also helped me to fight in the spirit against the spiritual forces that were against me.

While waiting on God we can feel helpless.  We can get frustrated and struggle with the feeling that we can’t speed up time or fast forward through the stillness.  I personally like to keep busy and make things happen so trust me when I say, I understand.  But when I reflect on past seasons of waiting I can see that there were specific things I was called to do while waiting.  I was not called to just sit around and twiddle my thumbs and think about the thing I was waiting on.  No, I was called to BE.  And out of my being came forth “doing”.  I believe God implements waiting seasons in our lives so that we will rest in Him.  The word rest is the word sabbatismos which refers to “heavenly life”.  This heavenly life is the eternal life we are living as we are seated with Christ in heavenly places.  When we truly rest in God we are lifted high above the warfare and pain of this world.  Our hearts are fixed on Him and we manifest His likeness.

If you are in a season of waiting I encourage you to focus on what you are called to in this season.  The one resource you have is TIME so invest it wisely. What work is there for you to do?  What assignments need your gifts and talents to make them come about?  You are not purposeless just because you are waiting.  There is purpose in your waiting and more than likely it is to prepare you for the promise that is awaiting you.  In a sense, God is waiting on you.   

And at the appointed time, when you have fulfilled the work you are called to in this season, He will bring about His promise for the next (Gen 17:21).

SHALOM