“Waiting patiently in expectation is the foundation of the spiritual life.” – Simone Weil French philosopher and mystic
We SUMites can attest to the notion of waiting patiently. Can’t we? As we wait in hope for our partners to say yes to Jesus as their Lord and lover of their souls.
Hi, Ian from summery Sydney. Advent started Sunday past. It’s a favourite season of mine as it helps me reflect on the goodness of God and our expectancy for Jesus’ arrival in the future.
Waiting is Hard
We wait continually. Don’t we? Whether it’s in the mundane, in the school drop-off line, the self-serve check out at the grocery store, or for our loved one to get home from a night out. And then there are the more serious wait times: a restructuring announcement at work makes us question whether we will have a job, medical test results that might reveal something sinister, or the war in Ukraine/Russia to cease.
Waiting can fill us with negative emotions: anger, fear and hopelessness which can lead us into a dark place. The world is a scary place with all the uncertainties and conflicts. However, it can be hard to even contemplate the big worldly issues because our own worlds can be so challenging.
Barbara Brown Taylor says this about waiting in the dark, “we lose the illusion that we were ever in control of our lives in the first place.”
As many of you will know I’ve been in a season of recovery after a serious bout of pneumonia. And I’ve certainly learnt that I’m not in control. Some days when my body and/or mind just don’t want to cooperate demonstrates in very real terms that I’m not in control, of even my own body and mind. Yes, I can do certain things to stimulate growth and healing but ultimately, I must allow my body to do its thing in its own time. As my pastor said to me on Sunday, it’s a humbling experience.
Hope in the Waiting
As Henri Nouwen contends, “much of our waiting is filled with wishes. ‘I wish that I would have that job. I wish that the pain would go.’” As he reflects on our wishful thinking, Nouwen suggests our way of “waiting is a way of controlling the future. We want the future to go in a very specific direction …”
I love the first couple of chapters of Luke where we see angelic arrivals, miracle conceptions, astounded shepherds and a saviour born in a manger.
It’s the witness of Zechariah, Elizabeth and Mary that compels me to believe there’s another way to wait in this season. Yes, they experienced the miraculous and angelic visitation but in those nine months of pregnancy they lived with HOPE. They had hope in the promises the angel, Gabriel, had spoken to them. They chose to spend those months of waiting in hope, recognising they hadn’t control of what was to come other than to choose to have faith and trust in the promises of Gabriel.
They knew that God was working in them as they waited. As Rich Villodas says, “what God does in you as you wait is just as important as – sometimes more important than – what we’re waiting for.” We can see evidence of this in Zechariah who after spending nine months mute, prophesied the moment his son, John, was born.
Your turn
May I leave you with these questions to ponder. Feel free to respond in the comments but please don’t feel obligated. Better you reflect and perhaps journal your own responses.
What are you waiting for?
What emotions do you feel when reflecting on the waiting?
How are you experiencing God in the waiting?
Where might Holy Spirit be inviting you into deeper hope?
Have you chosen to wait alone or have you shared your hopes with someone else?
There are no right or wrong answers, but I found this a valuable exercise to complete over the weekend.
Merry Christmas, dear SUMites and I wish you and your loved ones a hope-filled Advent and Christmas season.
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