The Art of Waiting Well

We’ve all heard the saying “when one door closes another one opens.”  But what about that time when no door seems to open?  At which point, nobody wants to hear this [well intended, I'm sure] encouragement.  It’s not for a lack of faith that another door will open, it’s knowing what to do when you’re in that funky spot of just waiting…on that door…any door…what happened to the doors?  Somebody get me a Jehovah’s Witness!

I pulled over the van to cry a little, trying to remind myself that it was just “stuff.”  It all started a year ago, when I had already acquired an entire spring season of kids clothes to sell online.  Searching, buying, cleaning, sorting, and storing; a tedious process, but one I had gotten down to a science (thanks to my husband and his never ending desire to simplify processes).  I was ready with a couple thousand pieces of the most adorable clothes.  After all, this is what I had been doing for the three years prior, and really had gotten good at it!  I knew that we were tentatively scheduled to move that fall, but was optimistic that I’d ship the clothes with the rest of our stuff and resume wherever our feet landed next.  And then God said.  I don’t even have to finish that last sentence, because you probably already know!  When God speaks, who can argue?  Well, I can.  I wasn’t crying over the “stuff” I had donated, I was crying because it was my business that I was driving away from, and a door I wasn’t ready to shut.   God, why close a door that’s been so good?  Can’t I just stay here a little longer?

It’s been almost a year since I tearfully and reluctantly closed that door.  After two big moves, I’m just now unpacking boxes we packed eight months ago.  And though I’d love to complain and express how challenging this [really long] transition has been, then I’d fail to recognize God’s beauty in the midst of it.   In John 15 we catch a glimpse of Jesus’ prayer for His disciples, a prayer where He didn’t request that God would remove them from this world, but that God would protect them.  This tells me that His plan was never to pull me out of the uncomfortable, but a promise that He would protect me and be with me in the midst of it.  So while I could expand on all of the hardships of transitioning, then I fail to see God’s reminders that He was with me.  From smooth flights and courteous strangers, to the conversation I had with my 10 year old as we sat in awe of God’s beautiful orchestration of lightning dancing across the plains of Iowa.  Though it can be hard to take our focus off the hardest parts of transitioning from one door to another, take a moment to acknowledge how God has been with you through the uncomfortable.  It’s a refreshing change of focus.

I have yet to know just what that next door holds for me and my family, but I am choosing to trust that God was serious when He said He was the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  He brought me to an amazing door last time, and I’m trusting that He will open another one that’s good for me, and that He isn’t finished with me yet.

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1:6

For those of you who find yourself in this funky holding pattern:  here is a helpful guide on how to wait well given to us by Paul.  Oh, and by the way, when I say "the art of waiting well" it definitely isn't because I've perfected it, it's simply because you and I have a guide on how to do it well!  He gave us this as a guide on how to wait for Christ’s return, but it serves us well to use for when we’re waiting on Christ to show us our next door.  Here is the list pulled from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24. 

                Build each other up

                Respect your spiritual leaders

                Live in peace with each other

                Encourage the timid

                Help the weak

                Be patient

                Don’t repay wrong for wrong

                Be kind

                Be joyful

                Pray continually

                Give thanks in all circumstances

                Do not put out the Spirit’s fire

                Do not treat prophecies with contempt

                Test everything

                Hold on to the good

                Avoid every kind of evil

This may seem like a long list, but as we lean into making a habit of these things, we’ll find God’s peace in waiting and be ready for what He brings us to next!

Father, thank you for your Word, and the encouragements we can draw from it while waiting for “the next door.”  Thank you for being with me in the midst of chaos, and help me to wait well according to Paul’s description of how we are to wait.  Help me to trust you and be ready for what it is you have for me next.  I love you.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 XO,

Jackie E.

Psst!  Comment below, I'd love to hear about the door you never expected!

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