Day 30: Choose to Wait Well
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It's the second-to-last day of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge! We've come a long way, from praying to reading Scripture to serving others.
Today, I would encourage you to choose to wait well.
Waiting isn't my strong suit. And I'd guess waiting is hard for a lot of other people, too. I fret and worry while I'm waiting. But if you're in a season of hardship right now, why not decide - with the Holy Spirit's help - to endure patiently? It won't be easy, but it is doable for the believer. And if we can learn to suffer well through our trials, what spiritual growth could we gain!
I've found, personally, that I tend to learn lessons from hardship in hind sight. Once things have gotten better, I'll realize that, yes, the Lord truly was looking out for me, providing for me, comforting me. But almost always, I'm blinded by the trial itself and only later see the blessings.My goal, my hope, is that the next time a hallway hits, I'll be able to graciously wait through it. But if I'm going to do so, I need to do four things:
- Choose to wait well
- Pray without ceasing
- Study the Scriptures
- Ask others to join me in prayer
Sometimes, we just need to determine to do something. While it always seems that roadblocks come up as soon as we decide on a course of action, preparing mentally for something is a great start. We've already talked about praying without ceasing - how and why to do it. Studying God's Word is invaluable, even to those who are very familiar with it. We need the Word to minister to us when things are difficult. And lastly, having other believers around us to pray for us and encourage us will help us continue waiting when we'd rather give up.
Today's action steps: Even if you've been in your hallway for a while, and even if you have no idea how much longer it will continue, you can choose today to wait well from here on out. Write out your decision on a card to keep in your pocket or on a mirror where you'll see it often. Maybe even jot down a verse about waiting to help you, too. And when things get tough, ask a friend to pray for you and encourage you to stick to your resolve of waiting well.
