Working While We're Waiting

“While waiting on The Lord, do what waiters do and serve. “ 

After hearing this simple yet profound quote earlier this year, I began reflecting on times past when I described myself as waiting on the Lord. With empty, idle hands and pitiful prayers that fell to the floor, I slowly embodied the 'woe Is me' mascot.  All too often, as believers, we get caught up on how 'deserving' we are, and any actual serving is the last thing on our minds. It’s almost as if we forget the power and effect that keeping ourselves busy tends to have on time.

Here’s what I mean: Have you ever noticed how when we’re on our jobs, hiding from management, it seems like the time creeps like TLC? Sometimes, it can even feel like the clock is moving backward. But on the contrary, when we’re killing it and being super productive, time seemingly flies by, and when it’s time to go home, we’re shocked at how smooth the day went! Why is this?  When we put our hands to work and set our minds on what’s before us instead of what we anticipate, we ease the agony of waiting.

There are a few key reasons why we should work while we wait, and here are some points to consider and apply to the work for optimal efficiency. 

• Heart posture- are you working for gain or just working in vain? 

• Who’s watching- imagine being God’s Employee of the Year. 

• Promises at hand-promotions are for the diligent.  

Here’s why heart posture is so important: the conviction that comes with this following scripture makes all the difference whenever I’m in a season of waiting. Romans 12:11 says, “Never be lazy but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.”  Excuse me? Work hard? God, that’s not in the soft girl package I signed up for. But if we’re being honest, not one of us is called to be a ‘soft girl’ but instead a Proverbs 31 Woman. 

Next, let’s focus on the importance of waiting well since we never know who’s watching. How do we look from the perspective of children watching our walk when we cry, spit, and fart at the first sight of inconvenience? What does the unbeliever assume about our God when we complain about what we “lack?“ Consider that waiting well affects more than just us; we’re tasked with submitting our works to the Lord without murmuring and complaining.

Consider what we forfeit when we fail to wait on the Lord. I can’t help but think about Esau, who sold his eternal blessing, his birthright, for a quick bowl of lentil stew! This makes me ask myself whether I truly believe that what God has for me is far better than any temporary, fleshly, and carnal fix. Do we genuinely believe that when He says He won't withhold any good thing from us, He’s telling the truth?

As we transition into spring, let us consider the barren trees that have waited all winter long for God to fulfill their purpose in them again. Did they fall to the ground and die? No, they withstood the brutal winds and bone-chilling nights. If God takes care of them, how much more would He do for us who are working  while we're waiting willingly on Him? Whether it be for a spouse or a house, ask God what He wants you to work on until He brings your promise to pass.