There are many seasons in our lives when we are waiting, transitioning to a new place in life. These can be times of great excitement but also of great anxiety, especially if we are unsure of where God has us or the direction our lives are taking us. A lot of the time, the most difficult thing to do is wait. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We hate waiting because we fear we are going to fail, make the wrong decision, or worse, miss out on God\u2019s plan for us. We fear not having a plan, or we know that the plan we do have seems crazy. That\u2019s when we go into our fight, fly, or freeze responses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We each tend toward a certain response, but we all do all of them sometimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fight, flight, or freeze are all normal psychological responses that God has instilled in every human being, and they have their rightful place when exercised wisely. What I have described above is the fleshly <\/em>application of those God-given responses; the gut impulse of a heart trusting in self and circumstance rather than the careful, prayerful actions of a heart trusting in God. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What many of us forget is that there is a fourth option when faced with a decision: taking one faith-filled and faithful step at a time seeking out the Lord, waiting on Him to guide each next step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Psalm 27: 7-14<\/a> says,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lord hear my voice when I call; be gracious to me and answer me. My heart says this about you: “Seek his face.” Lord, I will seek your face. Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave or abandon me, the Lord cares for me. Because of my adversaries, show me your way, Lord, lead me on a level path. Do not give me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing violence. I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n This song, this prayer from the heart, is true and honest to the person who wrote it, David. He is seeking the Lord\u2019s face in his time of waiting. In this psalm, David shows what you can do in your time of waiting instead of following those gut impulses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Waiting is a God-given opportunity to slow down. Instead of trying to push through the feeling of life being out of control, slow down and recognize who is <\/em>in control. Slowing down or taking a timeout can actually give your mind, body and soul the time it needs to process what God is wanting you to do or be. <\/p>\n\n\n"Waiting is a God-given opportunity to slow down." -Christina Boatright #collegiatedisciplemaker While You are Waiting <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n Waiting is also a God-given opportunity to seek His face. That simply means leaning into your dependence on God and match your steps to His. Seeking His face starts with being honest with your needs and wants and expressing those to Him, then taking time to listen. Listening can create peace of mind and help you to make decisions out of wisdom instead of chaos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the Old Testament, the people of God didn\u2019t move forward without the Lord moving first. That meant they had to wait many times in many places, and often they didn\u2019t fully know where God was leading them and why. All they could do was wait and see. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Exodus 14<\/a> is the story of God leading the Israelite people out of Egypt through unorthodox routes in the desert leading to a dead end in the Red Sea. The people were afraid and knew they were being pursued by the Egyptians. Scripture even says that the Egyptians thought the Israelites were wandering in confusion in the desert (Exodus 14:3<\/a>). So you can imagine how the Israelites must\u2019ve felt. They were terrified, and maybe confused themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But God had a plan. He held off the Egyptian army while that plan came to pass. He had Moses wave his staff over the water, and through the night a great wind parted the water. The Israelites passed through the sea on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to follow, the waters fell, destroying the whole army. God had not only rescued His people but He also made sure the Israelites and every country surrounding the nations\u2014including Egypt\u2014would never forget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you are waiting on God, surrender the details. This means surrendering the timing and the methods by which He works. When you let go of your timing and your plans, you\u2019ll often find that He leaves you a powerful story to tell of His providence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “When you let go of your timing and your plans, you’ll often find that He leaves you a powerful story to tell of His providence.”<\/p>Christina Boatright<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow God Wants Us to Wait<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Slow Down<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Seek God<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Surrender the Details<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n