It can be hard to keep going if you’ve been trying something and it seems like it isn’t working. You can get tired of waiting.
That’s where I found myself earlier this year.
After being on this journey since 2017 (gosh, has it been that long?), I had hopes and expectations of how things should look by now.
After the launch of my book, Waiting Gracefully, I was even more expectant.
I had done what God told me to do and followed His instructions. That had to mean I was going to see some mega results right?
Well, imagine my shock disappointment when things didn’t go according to my plans and projections.
Don’t get me wrong, by most people’s standards, I had done quite well but I was using a different marking script.
For one, I knew I had heard God and done what He asked me to do.
And I had been diligent and faithful, at least in my mind that was what I believed.
With that disappointment came discouragement. Those 2 seem to like hanging out with each other.
One fateful weekend, I’d had enough and I told God so.
I said, “I am done.” A.K.A “I quit.”
It seemed like all that work had been for nothing or at least, for very little result.
The Holy Spirit was gentle with me because He knew I was hurting.
Then He asked me, “What about My daughters?” That’s you by the way.
In my upset, I responded, “What about me? Am I, not Your daughter too and deserving of this attention that You want to give them through me?”
After some internal tussle, I burst into tears. It was like a pressure release valve because with the tears came acceptance.
I knew I wasn’t going to quit but I needed His help to keep going.
I needed to see what God wanted to do through me and know what was my next set of instructions.
On this journey, even as you wait, instructions are key to making it through.
If you’ve ever read the story of Elisha and the widow in 2 Kings 4:1-7, you’ll see that instruction from God matters a lot.
Some weeks later, the Holy Spirit directed me to a gentleman and told me to ask for his help with my business.
A 30-minute conversation unlocked my next set of instructions.
It was from that conversation and my subsequent reflections that the shift in my business became clear.
Instead of quitting, I was recharged and refreshed so I could get back to work.
What happened to me isn’t unique. In fact, it is quite normal.
We all have expectations about our lives. Even when we don’t say them out loud, they are there.
As we wait for our desires to be fulfilled, we expect things to happen according to our timescale.
When that doesn’t happen, we are disappointed and in some cases, offended by God.
We may not even say it out loud but it is there. When you get to this point, you must take action.
Here are 3 actions you must take when you get tired of waiting:
- Retreat: withdraw from the noise of the world. Get quiet and take some time to be alone.
- Rest: take a break from what you are doing. You can do something totally unrelated.
- Recharge: feed your spirit, soul and body. They need it to keep going.
If you do these 3 things, you will find that you can continue on your journey, in your season of waiting.
Because I know you need these 3 activities to keep going, they have been woven into the experiences I offer the women I serve.
If you want to find out when these experiences hold, online or in-person, click HERE to join my mailing list. You’ll get my free 5 day Waiting Well email series so you have a resource to use straight away.