The time and place in which God has placed each one of us–the Internet Age–is fast-paced, mindboggling, and increasingly uncivilized. At any given point throughout the week, my hand flinches toward my phone like an Old West sheriff reaching for his revolver in a standoff. However, it’s become increasingly clear that when my phone wins, I’m the one left wounded.
Still, how many times a day do I reach for my phone, even just to pull it out of my pocket to see the warm, silicon glow of its screen—a Siren song of potential friend requests, Instagram likes, or emails with tidings of good news? Just touching my phone sparks enthusiasm and washes away the dread of a Monday morning or a Wednesday afternoon.
So it is with many of us. I’m sure we recognize it, and hate it, but do it all the same. Checking our phones gives a hit of dopamine, even a sense of belonging. Yet it’s this habit that compounds the speed at which our society is already moving because each time we take out our phones to check Instagram, the previous trending searches have been replaced by others, again and again.
This creates a sense of urgency and immediacy. Not only that: it promises a lot and requires little of us. How many of us want the 90-day crash course, the five points to a happier life, or the top three reasons for eating vegan beef (number two will leave you stunned!)? All the while, our brains become accustomed to a speed of gathering information that ultimately makes the soil of our souls and minds fallow and unused. We gather knowledge without leaving space to act upon it.
The impact of this fast-paced society on our spiritual lives is profound, and contrary to God’s frequent command that sounds more like a whisper in the wind than a booming voice from Sinai: “Wait.”
Scripture yearns for the renewal of all things, beginning the moment we stepped foot out of the garden, and this desire continues today; a tepid flame in the hearts of all people and a raging fire in the hearts of those who know Christ. So, why does the Lord take so long? Why doesn’t He seem to be moving in my life?
For one, God’s story in the world is discovered in the waiting.
Eve thought she’d given birth to the one that would crush the serpent’s head, but she hadn’t. Lamech thought his son, Noah, would save people from their toil, but he didn’t. Abraham thought he’d have a child younger, and when he finally did, he was old. Israel was enslaved in Egypt for 430 years before being freed and then wandered in the desert for forty years because of their sin. The prophets spoke on behalf of God but could only see the shadow of Israel’s Messiah.
If God would’ve given Eve the Promised One, if Lamech’s toil ceased, if Abraham’s faith hadn’t been tested, if we are given all we ask for, we’d likely miss out on the point of it all: to be with God. But life with God involves surrender, which can sometimes be painful, for He helps us shed the old self, the old ways of doing things, and put on the new self (Ephesians 4:22-24).
That’s all well and good, you might say, but what about my current circumstances? Why can’t I find a spouse? Why can’t I get a better job? Why can’t I even buy a house? Why do I need to go through this diagnosis?
I have no idea. The answers to those questions vary and some are only known in time. But how many of us have been told that we wait because “God has something better in store”? I’ll be honest, I tend to get cynical toward that comment. Who would’ve told Joseph, in an Egyptian prison, that God had something better for him? Or Elijah, who was so discouraged, asked God to kill him?
Over and over, we see the sometimes painful work of waiting on the Lord; Paul was imprisoned and shipwrecked. Stephen was stoned. The very mission of Jesus himself resulted in becoming a mockery and death on the cross. Each of these trials elicits a profound mystery of Christianity: we take up our cross and carry the easy yoke of Christ, wherever it may lead. You might be put in charge of a nation; your life may end serving the Lord.
Whatever the thing that the Lord is doing in you is likely layered: he might be preparing you for your calling, as well as remolding you back into himself, or asking you to trust him—perhaps even suffering alongside you in times of trial. And don’t be afraid to cry out to God. He sees and knows your heart before you ask anything. Ask him, “Why, Lord?” as many times as you need. You may not get an answer now or ever, but He is most assuredly with you and listening. Do you think the Lord grew weary of David’s countless groans throughout the Psalms?
In all of these things, you can be confident in the most important thing about you: you’re a friend of the Risen King, whose name is Mighty Counselor and Prince of Peace. You’re a son or daughter of Yahweh, who made his name known to one man, and then to one people, and now to all people, including you! This doesn’t make our problems go away, but it puts them in a proper light. When in doubt: consider the lily (Luke 12:22-31).
But we often put the cart before the horse. We’re so focused on doing, going, achieving, that our primary focus is on the things God is shaping us to do, preparing us for the places we’ll go, and tasks we’ll accomplish. It makes me wonder if we’re so busy and distracted, are we able to hear from the Lord? Or, do we keep ourselves so preoccupied that we fail to notice when, or how, he may be asking us to “be still before the Lord and wait patiently before him…” (Psalm 37:7a).
I find myself waiting on the Lord at this moment. Up to this point, I had sensed he called me to seminary and toward ministry. I’ve finished seminary and have gained valuable experience… but I can’t say I’m where I thought I’d be at this point in my life. But, as I wait, I’m trying to be more attentive to him, knowing that he’s still at work. I’ve learned to slow up and put my phone down. I try not to worry as I consider the lily and the sparrow and try to thank him for every small thing. I’ve realized that I take so many things for granted. My breath is a gift; the setting sun is a gift; my morning coffee is a gift; the roof over my head and my warm bed are gifts. These are the things that remind me that God is still good, even while we wait.
So, what do you do if you find yourself waiting? My advice for you: don’t overthink, don’t over-analyze; you’ll exhaust yourself. The waiting period, though difficult, can be a beautiful thing. Like I’ve tried to do, slow down, and instead of trying to distract yourself from this season, think back to times when God has met you. Reflect on those times, meditate on them. Let them become markers you can look to and say, “God was there.” And, make a habit of thanking God for everything, noticing his presence, even now.
The Lord can produce fruit in you that won’t be tasted until He’s called you on to the next thing. What God is doing in you right now could be preparing you for future things. But don’t get too fixated on that, either. Enjoy the now—the only moment you’re guaranteed.