The Pain of Waiting Patiently

As we are waiting [for God to deliver His dreams through us], we will more than likely gain many spiritual stretch marks. Birthing God’s dreams may stretch your faith, your finances, and your relationships with family and friends. Remember that God doesn’t call us to do things that we can accomplish in our own strength. He only calls us to God-sized tasks, so that when the dream becomes a reality, we know God did the work and God gets the credit. When ordinary people attempt God-sized tasks, it stretches us tremendously. But this stretching doesn’t have to cause us to snap. It can be an extraordinarily strengthening exercise, if we submit to all that God asks of us in the process.

…You see, pregnancy and childbirth are filled with many moments of waiting, but it is not a passive waiting at all. How can we actively wait? Think of a waitress in a restaurant. She watches as her patrons eat, frequently checking in to see if there is anything else she can do to fulfill their expectations. She is attentive to their needs throughout their dining experience, but doesn’t rush them. Or think of a weary traveler waiting for his taxicab so that he can return home to his family. He waits on the sidewalk, keeping his eyes peeled for the cab, his suitcase nearby. Think of a young woman waiting for her love to ask for her hand in marriage. She wants him to initiate the engagement, but consistently makes herself available. She diligently communicates her affirming feelings toward him, letting him know that she will not reject his proposal.

Waiting may simply mean returning to the last thing that you felt prompted by God to do, then asking yourself, Have I been obedient? As a parent, I try not to overwhelm my children by asking them to do something until they have finished the last thing I’ve asked them to do. God works in similar ways. He guides us step by step, refusing to overwhelm us with the big picture until we can handle it. He doesn’t call us to run spiritual marathons until we’ve been obedient to the little things and mastered basic training.

Excerpted from Completely His: Loving Jesus Without Limits by Shannon Ethridge. Copyright 2007. All Rights Reserved. Published by WaterBrook Press, Colorado Springs, CO 80921. Used by Permission. Not to be copied without Publisher’s prior written approval.