Waiting by the Brook: Learning to Wait Patiently on GodSample

Waiting by the Brook

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11. NLT

A small brook runs by my home. It slowly trickles along, joining the flow from other houses and emptying its contents into a larger creek about half a mile from our house. Here the creek runs alongside a naturally wooded trail where I go for my early morning run, walk, or bike ride. It is a peaceful spot.

However, on many mornings a few years back, I found my mind at odds with the tranquil surroundings. Why? I was waiting on God to provide direction about the next steps in my professional journey. The waiting was more unbearable because it seemed that with every movement I made in response to the prompting of the Spirit, I faced obstacle after obstacle. What looked like open doors in the direction of a new calling were being slammed shut in my face, one after one.

During this time, I found great comfort in reading about the experience of the prophet Elijah sitting beside a brook waiting on God. In fact, whenever anyone who was interested in my honest response asked the question, “How are you doing?” I would answer simply, “I am waiting by the brook.” The brook is a fitting metaphor for the times when God has revealed a call on our life, yet he asks us to wait for a season in a place of seeming stagnation. These waiting moments put our relationship with God to the test. We often feel most alone and lack clarity about the next steps.

Yet it is in these waiting spaces that God can prepare us to accomplish His great work in us. Elijah waited in obscurity for about three years until God allowed him to return to public ministry and experience one of the most pivotal moments in his ministerial career. On Mount Carmel, the prophet faces off against King Ahab and the prophets of Baal and defeats them in the strength of the Lord (1 Kings 18:16-45).

Do you find yourself waiting beside a brook? Are you wondering why God is keeping from you the very thing that would advance you? Trust and believe that God does haveplans for you even though you cannot see them yet. A time is coming when God will accomplish His great work in your life. Will you continue to wait on Him beside the brook?

Reflect: Do you currently find yourself in a waiting pattern with God? Describe it. How is this waiting experience affecting your relationship with Him?