I don’t enjoy waiting. I don’t think anyone enjoys waiting. Let’s face it, we’re a society of convenience and instant gratification. We’ve conditioned ourselves to expect things to happen quickly and we all get pretty bent out of shape when they don’t. So when I find myself in a season of waiting on God, it can be frustrating. That’s where I am right now and I’ll be honest, I’m struggling to handle it the way I know God wants me to. I know someone else out there is feeling the same way, so let’s walk through 3 things I try to remember in seasons of waiting together.
First, what does “season of waiting” even mean? Is it just a time we wait out to get an answer or an outcome? I don’t think it’s just that. And in order to get through our seasons of waiting the way God intends, I believe we need to understand/remember both the what and the why.
Let’s refer to nature. After all, just like us human beings, nature is God’s creation. Nature is living, just like we are. We can learn a lot from nature — it’s pace, it’s peace, it’s processes.
Remember These Things in Your Season of Waiting
1. Waiting is Transition
Imagine the change of nature’s seasons — Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Did you know that some cultures don’t recognize Fall and Spring as seasons? Instead they consider them transitions between seasons. I think that’s pretty cool when you use nature’s seasons as an analogy for life’s seasons. In this case, our seasons of waiting are just like Spring and Fall.
Nature and our lives never go from one season to the next overnight. Side note: God is so cool! How on earth could the course of nature relate so perfectly to the course of our lives if God didn’t exist?
The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands. Day after day pours forth speech, And night after night reveals knowledge. Psalms 19:1-2 AMP
Okay, back on track here, seasons don’t change overnight. Sure, there are dates that mark the first official day of each season, but seasons transition slowly. So what is the transition for?
Transition
noun.
the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.
How is this transition helpful and why is it necessary? When nature starts showing signs of Fall, that’s a signal to animals (and humans). At that first signal they know it’s time to start transitioning to Winter. What does this mean? It means they start to prepare for Winter. They already know they aren’t completely ready and they’re not mad about it. They get it, they’ve have been in a different season. They’ve been in Summer. In Summer they don’t have to be ready for Winter. Now it’s Fall and it’s time to prepare for Winter, the next season.
2. Waiting is Preparation
Preparation
noun.
the action or process of making ready or being made ready for use or consideration.
God doesn’t have us wait just because He’s busy dealing with other things. He doesn’t put us off like a dreaded task. He isn’t a procrastinator. He’s exactly the opposite. Everything He does is for a specific purpose. He is proactive. Everything He does is for our good, even when it seems like He’s not doing anything at all.
And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. Romans 8:28 AMP
When God keeps us waiting it is for preparation, not punishment. He knows it all, including when you are or are not ready for what’s to come. You (I) on the other hand, only think you (I) know. I get so frustrated with myself because no matter how deeply I believe that God knows best, I still find myself wondering why He isn’t working on my terms. But that’s even further proof that I’m not ready.
Back to nature — the animals understand preparation. They don’t just understand it, they embrace it. It’s so crazy how they know. Again, God is so cool! If they don’t take those times of transition to prepare for the next season, Fall to Winter for example, then they could die.
Maybe everything that you’re living through right now, good and bad, is working to prepare you for the season you will be in next. It’s so hard to understand in the moment, right? But I can think back to so many instances where I was so frustrated and when I finally had a breakthrough into a new season it all became so clear. If things hadn’t gone the way they did, I couldn’t have ended up where I eventually did. Those are the times I kick myself for probably prolonging the process of preparation by battling with it instead of leaning into it.
3. Waiting is an Opportunity
Imagine if we looked at our season of waiting/transition/preparation as an opportunity, like animals do. Instead of frustration we would have growth, instead of confusion we would have clarity. We create more hardship for ourselves when we are adamant about seeing our season of waiting as a setback. If there’s one thing I have learned in my walk with Christ it’s that I will eventually learn what God wants me to learn. I can do it His way or I can do it the hard way (my way). Either way, the sovereign God, like the good Father He is, will make sure I get the lessons I need to become the person He intends for me to be.
And I’m not saying that His way is the easy way, but His way is for sure the better way. There are many times in life when going with the flow is to go the world’s way and against God. But when it comes to waiting (transition, preparation) on Him, settle in because that’s a river’s current that you are much better off not fighting against. He always knows best and always has your best interests in mind. Even Especially in your seasons of waiting.
