Actively Waiting

Many may think that Christians hold a mindset of laziness or apathy. The mindset of always waiting, of trusting, of not acting without first praying; our world wants split second decisions, to make decisions based on what feels good, to proceed when the outcome seems to benefit one’s self. I often find myself in the battle of making split second decisions based on fear, based on self-edification, or of trying to control my own destiny. I often battle the thought that waiting equates to passiveness.

Have you ever watched a puppy in training? Teaching them to wait, to sit, to stay is one of the most difficult tasks. We train them though often for their own safety, to grow in freedom, and to one day be able to exceed the small boundaries we place around them when they are young. It’s always been my wish for my puppy to be able to run freely around the park, but I also know that if I did this, I would spend hours chasing him down. He doesn’t understand the boundaries of freedom.I’ve been working with him, and he is learning (though not exceptionally well). My point in this dog training analogy is that when you tell them to sit and to stay, watch their bodies, watch their eyes. Their eyes are focused on you; their bodies often are shaking in anticipation. They are actively waiting for you to give them the command to come or to go. They show great mental and physical control and strength in their learning to wait, to stay.

Waiting for God, staying until God says come is not passiveness or laziness; it is not an act of apathy but instead it is an active, aware, focused control of keeping one’s self actively waiting for their master to tell them to go. In learning control we gain freedom, we learn our boundaries and we are more productive for the tasks and activities God has in store for us.

My theme in these past blogs has been in waiting, in listening, in giving over my own selfish desires. It has been about simplifying my world so that I can better hear God’s voice. I am desperate to decrease the distractions around me so that I can keep my focus, my eyes on my master, so that I can hear His voice when he says come or when he says stay. I want to be an active Christian; I want to be a Christian that can control her own body so that I can give control of my energy, my gifts, and my thoughts to a God who creates boundaries only to increase freedom.