I confess—knowing how to wait patiently is still hard for me. But I honestly can say that there is a better way to wait. We have to change what we think waiting means. Contrary to popular opinion, waiting is not sitting, sulking, seething, striving, and stressing. How to wait patiently involves an intentional choice to trust God with an outcome you can’t control.
Yes, there are a lot of things about our lives we can’t control, but how we choose to live, love, and serve within the boundaries of what God controls is totally up to us. So, the question is, “What do you do while you wait?” Here are 5 ways to wait like a man.
1. Seek wisdom.
When you don’t know what to do next, stop to assess what you need to know now—about the situation, your options, the people involved, how much time you have to decide, and the potential outcomes. This is a great time to seek the godly counsel and wisdom of others who’ve faced similar circumstances.
Ask yourself: “Who can help with this while I wait?”
You can gain a better perspective on your own struggles when you start focusing on helping others with theirs.2. Serve others.
You can gain a better perspective on your own struggles when you start focusing on helping others with theirs. So, one way to reduce your waiting time is to offer to do for others what they can’t do for themselves.
Ask yourself: “Who can I help by lightening their load while I wait?”
3. Strengthen others.
If you think the weight of your waiting is too heavy, why not put your weight down for a minute, and look to support someone while they’re lifting theirs? Find someone to encourage, motivate, inspire, and strengthen. Sometimes, an encouraging word from you might be exactly what somebody else needs.
Ask yourself: “Who can I encourage, support, and strengthen while I wait?”
4. Sacrifice something.
Not everything you’re holding onto is worth keeping. And it’s a lot easier to be patient along your journey when you don’t have to carry more than you need for the trip. So, while you’re waiting, do a quick assessment to see what is absolutely necessary and what should be sacrificed.
Ask yourself: “What do I need to get rid of or stop doing while I wait?”
5. Sow into others.
Look to give to others what you’re actually waiting on for yourself. For instance, if you need money, make a small charitable contribution to someone else’s cause. If you need time off, offer a break to someone else who needs it.
Ask yourself: “What do I need that I can give to others while I wait?”
I know these ideas may sound counterintuitive when you’ve been patiently waiting for provision, a change, or a breakthrough in your life. But the great Zig Ziglar once said, “If you help enough people get what they want, you’ll eventually get what you want.”
Earn some points: Are you married? If so, share this iMOM article with your wife: Good Character for Kids: How to Teach Patience to Your Kids.
Sound off: What do you think is the best thing to do when you are in a season of waiting?
Huddle up with your kids and ask, “What do you do to pass the time while you are waiting?”