If you’re like me, a dreamer and believer in things to come, chances are you’re waiting on God for something or some things. It could be a certain move, a job you want, furthering your education, marriage or a business you want to start. Because there are many things I’m waiting on God for, I know it can be easy to just want it and want it now. Waiting is not an easy thing to do. So what can you do whilst you wait?
1. Work on your relationship with God
Take time out to seek God. Matthew 6 verse 33 says:
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
There is so much noise in our lives. We need to stop for a moment and make God the main focus. Depending on what you spend most time on, you could stop watching TV, any social media, going out or for some working too hard, basically anything that keeps you busy. You can start with a week, a month, however long it takes. In that time silence the noise around you and take time to be still so you’re able to listen and grow closer to God.
Use the time to read the Bible, read books on spiritual topics you need help with. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you. Watch sermons from different preachers you trust. Watch with a discerning eye and ear. Don’t put your trust in or believe in people. It shouldn’t be about the preacher but about God speaking to you through different people. If you don’t trust a message or are not sure what you’re hearing is right, go to the original source, the Bible. You can also ask God for clarity and for whatever explanation you need. He will answer you.
Make time for God and He will make time for you. And even better still, as the word says, all these things will be added unto you.
2. Preparation
However preparation looks like for you, do it. If you’re hoping to start some business, learn all you can about it. Do a business plan where necessary. Sometimes people don’t do anything because they say they have no money or the necessary resources. That doesn’t stop you from doing what you can to prepare for when you do. Get the required knowledge and prepare the best way you can. That way when what you need becomes available, you’re ready for it.
Another example is if you’re waiting for marriage, work on yourself. That list of characteristics you hope your significant other will have, do you embody them? If not make sure you do because like attracts like. You could even go so far as to read books on marriage. I know some might think that’s too much but if it takes years to study to be a teacher, lawyer, engineer, why would being a wife or husband be any different. Yes in any position you learn as you go, but the foundational knowledge is important.
3. Wait with faith and expectancy.
Grow where faith and expectancy are concerned. Faith is a muscle, that means it can grow. I had faith but I realized I wasn’t expectant because I’d hoped for many things that didn’t happen. Expectancy can be built too. Develop these two because without them your wait can get frustrating. I’m not just telling you about something I don’t know. I’ve experienced it often and have had to remind myself time and again that my attitude whilst waiting determines how I experience it. It doesn’t help you to sit and do nothing and then be surprised when it gets too much for you. Where you end up focusing too much on what’s happening right now and you can’t look past that.
What I’ve been learning about faith of late is that you can’t think you have it and abandon it. You have to continually work on it the way you would to keep fit. It can disappear on you before you even realize what happened. It really is like a muscle.
Do what will work for you. For me it’s reading inspirational material, watching different sermons, looking at my vision boards, reading my vision letters. Basically holding in my mind a picture of what I believe is to come, before there is any evidence of it, what is called faith.
No one can do this for me. I have to do it myself. No one can believe for me. There are days where I doubt, days where I don’t see how it’s possible and on those days I have to remind myself that it’s not in my power but in God’s power. Then I take my medicine, all the things I mentioned above, to get me back into a state of believing.
If I don’t it’s me who gets down, frustrated and depressed. It’s a choice I have to make. Do I want to live with faith and expectancy or do I want to be sad and frustrated? If I choose the former then it’s up to me to get myself into that state of being, no matter what the circumstances are. If for some reason I find it difficult, I pray and keep using my medicine until something changes.
4. Surrender
This was not an easy one for me and might not be for you either. It was all about me and not about God. I had thought I had let go in the past but I hadn’t. In the past I thought praying for what I wanted and then saying “God willing” was enough. It wasn’t.
I didn’t know how much I was trying to hold onto control until I truly surrendered it all. It wasn’t because things were great. I had reached a point where I had done everything I could and was getting no results that I told God: “I can’t do this anymore. Have your way.” I mentioned all the things I was trusting Him for and said “I’m surrendering it all. I still want it but I’m giving all my dreams to you and will trust your will above mine.” I finally truly surrendered.
Not long after that, God revealed the purpose for my life. My mind was blown. Even now I still can’t believe it. The sense of peace that has given me is beyond words. It took me surrendering it all, for God to trust me with letting me know what He wanted me to do with my life. It took me giving up everything I’ve ever wanted and saying to God, have your way.
He’d already been leading me towards it but I didn’t know it. I was following blindly. I still am but bit by bit God is letting me in on the bigger picture. That kind of trust, it humbles me and makes me see God for who He is. A Father who wants to take care of us and work whilst we rest, if only we would let go of our control and surrender it all to Him. Him who has the most amazing plan for our lives, one better than that which we could ever imagine for ourselves.
Surrender. Let God be God in your life. Your surrender allows God to work, to do things His way. It also gives you a sense of peace because you’ve done everything you can and now all you have to do is live in your purpose, your calling. If you don’t know what that is then ask God to tell you what it is. For Him to open your eyes to it when you’re ready for it.
I believe if you do the above things, you’ll be too busy to feel the strain of waiting. Too busy to become impatient. So go ahead, work on the above in this your time of waiting and in time God will answer your prayer. It’s my hope that you have prayed already, if not pray first because you can’t expect something you haven’t prayed for.
