What to Do While Waiting for Your Hopes and Dreams to Come True
I know I can't be the only one tired of waiting. Waiting for Corona to be over, waiting for summer to get here, waiting for our big break, or waiting for THE one, lol. Yeah...we've all found ourselves in a season of waiting at one point or another and although it may suck at the moment, taking on a premature substitute "replacement" for what you're waiting for just ain’t it.
So what’s a girl to do in the meantime you might ask? Unfortunately, there really isn’t any way to make time go any faster, however, there are three things you can do to help make the wait a little more bearable.
Be Preoccupied.
The thing that I've come to realize that helps in a season of waiting is to keep yourself busy. Find something to keep you preoccupied to stop you from going stir-crazy twiddling your thumbs in anticipation. And by keeping yourself busy I basically mean live your life Sis. It doesn't mean that you've given up about what it is you're waiting for, but if it's out of your hands, then you can't rush it anyway. What waiting basically is then, is trusting in God's timing. My study bible explains it as "the working out of hope." Hope is essentially therefore an action verb. And we should never stop hoping and dreaming.
Be Patient.
I want to make the distinction between things that ARE in our control to change and those that aren’t. There are definitely things whereby simply sitting and hoping it will change won't do you any good. If it's in your power to change a thing, then by all means work towards that change. The type of waiting I'm referring to is one where only God can orchestrate the change you want to see. What our impatience can do in those seasons is settle for less than what we believed God for. But a premature blessing actually isn't a blessing but more so a burden. And if it does bless your life, it's on a smaller scale than what waiting for the "mature" version would've given you.
The bible also says that those that wait on the Lord will renew their strength (Isaiah 40:3) as opposed to growing weary, aka sick and tired of being sick and tired. I don't know about you, but I've most definitely grown weary waiting, and in those times I have to remind myself that it's ALWAYS for my good.
[Also Related: Don’t Let the Process Punk You Out of Your Promise]
What I’m Patiently Waiting For.
One of the things I've been waiting on is a house y'all. I get one thing together but then I'm missing another. I get the other thing together, but then something else pops up delaying this house purchase. I say delay and not prevent because I know it's only a matter of time. That said, I'm sure there are ways around it and I could force myself into some type of house. But I don't want just any house. I want the house God has in store for me. Cause watch someone get into any type of house and now they're stuck with a bunch of reparations that are drilling holes in their pockets. This is of course different compared to someone who's purposely buying a fixer-upper.
Trust the Process.
The final thing that we should do in our waiting season is to trust the process that we go through because the process is part of the journey. Trust me, I know, easier said than done. But it's in the process of waiting, and what we do while waiting, that matures us and allows us to enjoy the reward.
Believe it or not, it matters how we wait. I mentioned in the beginning that we should stay preoccupied, basically live our lives as we wait. Because whining, complaining, and what the bible calls groaning, won't make that waiting season any more pleasant. It actually has the direct opposite effect. So watch your attitude as go through the process and wait.
Conclusion.
Whatever it is that God has laid on your heart to desire and also wait for, be encouraged that it was put there for a reason. There are plenty of people walking around not wanting what we desire, so I know our dreams aren't random or just for nothing.
I can’t say why it’s all necessary, I can simply trust and encourage you to do the same. A revelation I had this morning is that waiting (or long-suffering as the bible refers to it) is not a punishment. And I think once that truth sinks in, the less the waiting stings. It’s not a punishment but a process for our betterment.
So until God opens that next door for you - Praise Him in the hallway. ♥
Stay Blessed!