Only a few weeks ago, I ventured back to my wonderful home state of Iowa. Getting on the plane I found myself waiting, and as my journey progressed I realized how much waiting was a part of my trip itinerary.
Waiting to get on the plane. Waiting to get off the plane. Waiting for my family to pick me up. Waiting for a call back. Waiting to meet my friend. Waiting at the Starbucks drive thru. Waiting at the stoplight. Lots and lots of waiting.
Of course waiting is a normal part of our week, whether it’s waiting at the doctor’s office, waiting at the restaurant or waiting for a meeting to start. Sometimes we wait with great patience and sometimes we don’t.
Maybe you’re waiting for that job promotion or for your adoption call or for a breakthrough with your finances. Whatever it is, it can feel like an eternity, and if you’re like me the word patience won’t even find its way to your vocabulary.
So….
- How do we wait with patience?
- How do we wait with purpose?
- How do we wait without losing it?!
On my own journey of waiting, here are a few things that have proven helpful to me.
Be Thankful for Everything, All the Time
Some days it’s easier than others, but an attitude of continual thankfulness is one I never want to leave home without. To be grateful for the big things, little things and the things which I often take for granted. It’s amazing how this one shift in my demeanor so quickly changes my outlook and increases my joy.
Be Faithful With Those Around You
Life is about relationships and I am the first to admit people can be the last thing on my mind as my to-do list stares me in the face and my inbox grows by the minute. Yet it’s my friends and family who make it full, make it worth it, and keep me going. So, as I am faithful to those in front of me, I am reminded that it’s in these relationships where the waiting is more than bearable.
Do the Next Thing
Often in the waiting, so much of life can feel purposeless, wondering what I am actually supposed to do. Yet, there’s usually at least one thing I know to do. Maybe it’s a simple task for work, maybe it’s something for family, or something for a friend. I do the next thing, trusting breakthrough is on its way.
Even with a list such as this, waiting can be extremely hard and feel very lonely, especially if you don’t know when it will end.
In the end, you need your own list, your own set of “must-dos” that will get you through the long days and the moments when you think, “I just can’t wait any longer.”
Someday you’ll look back and see how helpful your list was and more than likely you’ll be a voice of hope to someone who finds themselves waiting. Your list just may become their lifeline.
Mikaela Kate is passionate to see you reach your full God-given potential! Her heart is to inspire the next generation to discover who they are and what they are made to do. There is a unique voice locked within you, and Mikaela Kate is authorized to release it! A speaker, writer and coach, Mikaela Kate has invested seven years developing college-age men and women into leaders. Conducting Bible studies, women’s groups, and young adult teams, she encourages others to go further and higher—taking their gifts, passions, and skills to the next level! A graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in marketing, she discovered her love for strategic thinking, big picture ideas, and meeting people where they are. These skills and passions later equipped her to plant a church with five other staff members (Veritas Church, Iowa City, Iowa). From there she moved to Sheffield, England and worked as the Young Adults Leader at St. Thomas Philadelphia. While in England her passion for America grew and her desire to see her native land transformed for Jesus ignited. She sees people living out their God-given purpose as a key to the transformation of this nation. Mikaela currently lives in South Carolina and is an active member of The Father’s House Church. You can reach her by email at releasingyourvoice@gmail.com, or on her website at www.mikaelakate.com.
