The Pitfalls of Waiting - Isaiah 30:18

The Pitfalls of Waiting - Isaiah 30:18

An interminably long time in a line at the post office!  Long lines seem to form when you are ready to check-out at the grocery store.  At your favorite department store, suddenly a line forms as you approach the cashier with your one sale item.  Then, there is the family member, friend or colleague who makes us wait for them despite our warnings and encouragement to the contrary.  Our repulsion of lines is indicative of our hatred of waiting.  Quite simply, we detest waiting on anyone or anything.  We particularly hate waiting on Almighty God!

Spiritually speaking, waiting contains several significant pitfalls.  Our frustration with waiting on God often leads to counterproductive choices.  Impatience inevitably results in impulsivity and its concomitant decisions.  The Bible contains two contrasting images of places to wait for God.  First, there is the wilderness full with its daily challenges of preservation, protection and provision.  There, the children of Israel constantly complain about what they lost in the exodus from Egypt and what they lack as a result of their liberation from 450 years of slavery in a foreign land.  Instead of expressing their gratitude for the gracious gift of freedom, they articulate their contempt for Almighty God by detailing His failure to provide bread, meat, and water.  Actually, they recall the spices with which the meals in Egypt were prepared.  The Israelites incessant complaints demonstrate one of the major pitfalls of waiting on God.

Second, in contradistinction, the apostles obey the Lord’s command, after the resurrection, and retreat to the “Upper Room.”  There, the Holy Spirit comes upon  them and infuses they with divine power, literally, dynamite.  Empowered with the Spirit of God, the apostles leave the upper room with the internal, spiritual, and personal fortitude necessary to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  They face many obstacles as the book of Acts records.  Yet, they count it all joy because the power of God flows through them and empowers them to succeed in their ministry.  For them, this period of waiting becomes a time of preparation, focus, empowerment and affirmation.  Accordingly, they avoid the pitfalls of waiting.

There are five strong temptations that arise when we experience a period of waiting for God.  First, we begin to fret.  You may recall a young child who waits eagerly for his father to come home from a trip with a gift.  As the time approaches for his dad to arrive, the child becomes more and more anxious.  He fidgets and speaks incessantly out of the bottomless pit of his anxiety.  The agony of waiting makes him insufferable to any surrounding adults.  The child keeps asking about the time.  A minute seems equal to an hour.  He repeats the question about time in as many different ways as he can.  Despite his mother’s pleas to calm down and wait, the child must occupy the time with some noise or activity that he thinks will make the time pass more quickly.  Should it appear that his father will be late, the child starts fretting.  He fears that his father is in some danger or is lost and cannot get home.  The child is afraid that his father will not come home.  He entertains the awful thought that his father has forgotten him and the family.  True to his selfish nature at this point in his development, the child ponders whether the father remembers to bring home his gift.  The sum of the lad’s fretting exhausts him emotionally, mentally, psychologically and physically.  Not surprisingly, the child falls asleep.  In the morning, he awakes and discovers his gifts beside his pillow.  He then wonders why he began to fret and doubt his father’s words and actions.

As we wait for God, we digress to the state of that child.  We hold pity parties.  We allow ourselves to slip into depression. We begin to ask a litany of unhelpful questions which resemble the previously mentioned grumbling of the children of Israel in the wilderness.  However, the psalmist encourages us, “Fret not!”  Bleak circumstances tend to trick us into believing that Almighty God has abandoned us to the negativity of our present situation.  Like a particularly cloudy day, we forget that the sun actually shines and gives warmth and life to all that it touches.  Fretting is the first pitfall of waiting that we must avoid in order to realize the emergence of the “good, pleasing, and perfect will of God” in our lives.

The Pitfalls of Waiting - Isaiah 30:18 Part II

The Pitfalls of Waiting – Isaiah 30:18 – Part II

For those persons who triumph over fretting, resorting to idolatry may be the temptation that ensnares them.  You will recall the “Golden Calf” incident during the wilderness period the Israelites.  Moses and Joshua went to Mt. Sinai to commune with the Lord.  They were gone for forty days and forty nights, in the Hebrew, a long period of time.  In the interim, the people confront Aaron about Moses’ extensive and lingering absence.  They want a leader and a god that they can see.  Aaron’s spiritual, personal and existential shortcomings in character cause his acquiescence to the people’s wishes.  Upon Moses’ return with the Law of Almighty God, he finds the people having a rather risque party and serving a golden calf, an idol. 

In times of impatience, we tend to resort to alternative plans.  Also, because our dreadful circumstances appear to eclipse Almighty God, we reach for supplements to the Bible.  We dabble in alternative spiritualities and philosophies which might contain some truth that the scriptures do not.  Practically speaking, we may rely upon our business and social contacts more than we depend on the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father.  We fall prey to the temptation that such significant contacts with their political, social, economic and religious “power” may be able to resolve our dilemmas given God’s longstanding absence.  In addition to ideologies and relationships, we resort to creature comforts to fill the vacuum of God’s absence.  If we are to be depressed and even oppressed, we may as well be as physically comfortable as possible.  In sum, idolatry in all its various forms is the second great pitfall of waiting for the emergence of God’s will in our lives.

Should we be able to escape the entrapment of fretting and idolatry, willfulness lurks right around the corner.  God’s silence and Moses’ absence made the children of Israel think that they had to take matters into their own hands.  Impatience assuredly fuels the prideful thoughts and feelings synonymous with personal willfulness.  Because God delays, we dismiss Him and His word.  We become self-reliant.  Really, we elevate our minds and thoughts to that of God’s level.  We fall prey to the fallacy that we can resolve our situation as well as God could, if He were to intervene favorably.  An old adage says, “Any person who defends himself in a court of law has a fool for a lawyer.”  Likewise, when we take our lives into our own hands, we make foolish choices.  Our human perspective remains limited by the time and context in which we live.  When we disregard God’s word, we will undoubtedly make rash judgments due to an incomplete outlook on our situation.  The Bible teaches that God’s will for us is simply the very best thing for us!  In fact, He always wants something for us that is far greater than anything we think or imagine, according to Ephesians 3:20.  As a consequence, our personal willfulness ironically results in the loss of many blessings that God would freely give if we simply unconditionally trust Him.

That old reliable personal demon, fear, is the fourth pitfall that awaits us when we refuse to wait on God.  It is said that “fear is the chief activator of our character defects.”  Giving in to fear during times of restlessness will lead to moral compromise and indifference.  As we wait for God, we may develop a nonchalant attitude toward life.  We may fall for the fallacy of indulging our self-centered physical and emotional instincts.  We do believing that we deserve some fun and happiness considering what we are experiencing.  For example, as a person waits for a spouse of God’s choosing, he or she may act out sexually.  Obviously, such behavior can lead immediately to another set of health, self-esteem, reputation and spiritual problems.  Nevertheless, the fear that we may lose something we greatly value or fail to acquire something of equal worth can propel us to hasty and unfortunate mistakes.  Moreover, fear creates emotions of desperation and powerlessness.  Those volcanic feelings manipulate us in immediate actions with disastrous results.  As a consequence, the psalmist encourages his soul to wait and hope in Almighty God knowing that in the fullness of time he will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13-14).

The Pitfalls of Waiting - Isaiah 30:18 Part III

The Pitfalls of Waiting – Isaiah 30:18 – Part III

More so than anything else, fear fuels impatience.  In the recent aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, nearly 15,000 survivors relocated to the Nashville area.  Among them was a large extended family with several adults and multiple children.  In their fear of not “having a place to stay,” two of the adults rushed and signed an apartment lease with a landlord.  The living space was not adequate to meet the needs of the family.  As they were negotiating with the landlord, a house with no rental fee for a year became available.  The family was advised to forego the lease opportunity and consider the house option.  But, fear pressured them into signing the lease.  When they realized that the house option was a most realistic blessing without any “strings attached,” they attempted to nullify the lease but the landlord would not release them from the obligations of the lease.  As I recite the story, I wonder how many blessings that we forego each day because of our failure to wait on God.

Anger is the final pitfall of waiting for God.  Fury equals energy.  It is one of the most potent feelings that we have.  Thus, it is deceptive.  Because of its empowering nature, anger makes us feel more alive than most other emotions.  Anger also makes us feel that others must take us seriously given the sincerity and significance of our emotions.  But, anger actually resembles a raging fire which destroys everything in its path - faith, trust, belief, relationships, jobs, marriages, families, etc.  We rarely make right choices when we act out of anger which “Turns off the light in the mind.” As we wait for God, it is very important that we try to control our tempers.  You may recall the incident at Meribah in which the people groaned for water.  Moses called upon the Lord to provide water and quench the people’s thirst.  The Lord instructs Moses to tap the rock with his staff.  In anger at the Israelite’s persistent moaning and groaning, Moses strikes the rock.  His anger results in Moses’ disobedience of God’s command.  That incident of acting out of anger costs Moses his heartfelt desire to enter the Promised Land.  Similarly, many of us deprive ourselves of the bliss of the Promised Land of God’s will when we allow the emotional narcotic of anger to determine our decisions.

Waiting on Almighty God need not necessarily leave in the pits of the wilderness.  Rather, we also have the option of retreating to the upper room of prayer and empowerment.  Biblically speaking, waiting means preparation.  It is not a period of mental, emotional and spiritual idleness.  It is also not a time of physical inertia.  Instead, waiting on the Lord is a period of intense activity.  Practically speaking, it requires that one does the next right and best thing in accordance with God’s daily guidance and revelation of His word and will. 

Just as there are five pitfalls to avoid in waiting, there are five spiritual principles to acquire while waiting.  Again, the first is to use the time and experience as a period of preparation for one’s next assignment in kingdom building.  Henry T, Blackaby, in his best selling book, Experiencing God, speaks compellingly about the importance of preparation in ministry.  The Lord prepares those persons whom He calls.  Perhaps, you find yourself waiting because you are not yet prepared for the next assignment.  Yet, God knows all of the details concerning what you need in order to accomplish the task set before you.  Like a favorite dish that needs to marinate, we often need to remain in our present circumstances until we have learned sufficiently certain spiritual lessons necessary to our success in the forthcoming assignment.  Should we disregard the significance of preparation, we will find ourselves on the battlefield without the requisite spiritual armor and war plans. 

As I reflect upon my three years in seminary, I more greatly appreciate them as a season of preparation for the ministry that laid before me.  Although I studied a lot, I now wish that I had studied even more.  That time was afforded to me as a period for the theological, biblical and philosophical foundation for my ministry.  Whereas I continue to study, read and reflect upon such issues, it is far more challenging in the throes of daily ministry and activity.  Seminary was a calling to the assignment of preparation enroute to my divinely ordained ministry in the pastorate and the community.

The Pitfalls of Waiting - Isaiah 30:18 Part IV

The Pitfalls of Waiting  - Isaiah 30:18 – Part IV

If you are in a time of preparation, you will hopefully avail yourself of the fullness of the blessing to pause, reflect, research, and consider what lies ahead on the glorious road of life.  Actually, each week, we should observe the Sabbath.  In so doing, we pull aside from the hustle and bustle of life for the purposes of spiritual renewal and preparation.  This weekly time of sabbatical allows us to prepare for the week ahead.

Preparation requires the daily practice of one’s core spiritual disciplines.  Often I refer to “SPAMBID” which is a sevenfold configuration of biblical spirituality.  These seven practices include (1) self-evaluation, (2) prayer, (3) affirmation, (4) meditation, (5) Bible study, (6) imaging and (7) daily quiet time and devotion.  Yet, as the second great principle that waiting yields, meditation is central to utilizing the gift of time.  This particular spiritual discipline enables us to hear with the ears and see with the eyes of our heart.  In the practice of meditation, we use the Word of God as our prism to view our lives, past, present and future.  Actually, the first psalm speaks of meditating on the Law of God.  The Hebrew word for meditate refers to the practice of a cow chewing endlessly upon its cud.  It grinds the grass with its teeth, swallows, regurgitates, chews again, etc.  Similarly, we reflect upon the scriptures until they speak to our heartfelt desires.  In so doing, the Word of God transforms our desires into the Lord’s will for us.  “Delight thy self in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”  The essence of meditation and preparation is synchronicity of our wills with God’s will.

Preparation and meditation often yield clarity which is the third spiritual principle one derived when waiting patiently on the will of God.  Perhaps, we linger in our present condition because we are confused about our calling or our forthcoming assignment.  Periods of waiting often resemble an intermission break within a play.  Darkness falls on the stage and the curtain is drawn.  Seemingly, nothing is happening for a while.  However, behind the curtain, a lot of activity is going on.  The stage and setting are being rearranged to fit the narrative and action of the forthcoming scenes and acts.  The change in the props clarify the adaptations that the story will take.  For us, clarity is a non-negotiable in order to proceed to the next divine assignment.

Undoubtedly, waiting on the Lord is one of the most difficult spiritual practices to maintain.  One cannot avoid feelings of abandonment.  Inevitably, one falls prey to the temptation of moaning and groaning.  Actually, complaining is an act of faithlessness; in fact, it is an insult of God’s character.  When we complain, we indict the truth of God’s revelation as recorded in the Bible.  The Lord says, “I am Jehovah-jireh, the One who provides.”  As we gripe in the midst of waiting on the Lord’s provision, we essentially declare that we are unsure whether the Lord possesses the power, knowledge, kindness and presence to meet our needs.  We state a claim against the integrity of the character of Almighty God.  Because waiting on the Lord creates the mental, emotional and spiritual environment for these negative thoughts and opens the door to this perpetual sin, “being still and knowing that He is Lord” remains one of the toughest challenges of faith, when the Lord leaves us in a holding pattern.

Seasons of waiting on the Lord are intended to aid us in learning how to trust Him more genuinely.  An essential aspect of growing in a right relationship with God is developing the capacity to trust Him forthrightly irrespective of our surrounding circumstances.  It is so easy to recite biblical and ecclesiastical clichés that we have learned over time.  “He may not come when you want Him but He is always on time.”  “It works in God’s time and not yours.”  “He makes a way out of no way.”  “Relax God’s in charge.”  “Resign as the manager of your life.”  Needless to state, the sayings go on and on and on.  Yet, we periodically face dilemmas that appear insurmountable.  We glance at the circumstances and we ponder whether there is any favorable resolution embedded within them.  We resolve that only a miracle could redeem this situation.  Nonetheless, God utilizes those very conditions to create a spiritual classroom in which we learn to rely upon Him.

The Pitfalls of Waiting - Isaiah 30:18 Part V

The Pitfall of Waiting – Isaiah 30:18 – Part V

Admittedly, it is most difficult to trust someone whom one does not really know well.  Business, ministry, politics, education and other types of collaboration are fundamentally accomplished through mutually beneficial relationships between people who trust each other.  It is rare that people will entrust their finances, secrets, private affairs, etc. to someone whom they do not consider to be trustworthy.  Likewise, we trust God as the Lord of our lives to the degree that we have gotten to know His character, faithfulness, lovingkindness and unfailing love for us.  Periods of waiting enable us to establish a greater bond with the Lord.  As we more greatly learn His divine attributes, we will inevitably learn to trust Him.

Often, I find myself being anxious when I am unsure about a plan of action.  The problems in and of themselves do not cause unease on my behalf.  A lack of clarity about how I will resolve most definitely makes me afraid that I will be victimized by some foreboding danger without the ability to avoid or prevent it.  In a very human way, I resort to my alternative set of plans.  Instead, I must remember to follow the dictates of scripture which directs me to trust in the Lord with all my might; lean not to my own understanding; realizing that in all my ways, God will direct my steps.  Accordingly, seasons of waiting lend themselves exclusively to the spiritual development of learning to seek the “good, pleasing and perfect will of God.”  I must wait for the revelation of the godly ordained plans for my life.

The last benefit to waiting on the Lord is the surprises that we receive when we are patient and allow the will of Almighty God to unfold in our lives.  Ephesians 3:20 assures us that God is able “to do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or imagine of Him, according to His power that is at work within us.”  Oftentimes, God requires that we wait as He transforms the dire conditions in our lives into unimaginable blessings.  God meets us at the point of our greatest defeat and He does the unimaginable!  That is the promise of the resurrection.  Instead of a grave, we find an empty tomb.  Instead of death and defeat, we discover new life and victory.  Like Joseph, we recognized that God takes the evil of others and changes it into a blessing for us.  However, as Joseph waited and lingered within prison unjustly, we must marinate in the sauces of situation until God has done with unimaginable.

Finally, I remind us of the way in which the psalmist encourages himself at the end of the twenty-seventh psalm.  He says to his soul, “Be of good courage and wait on the Lord.  Wait, I say on the Lord!”