The Joy of the In-BetweenSample

Going Steady

One Saturday morning, I decided to go for a walk. I came to a stoplight, pressed the button, and waited for the signal. One minute passed. I hit the button again, thinking that surely pressing it multiple times would speed up the process. Another min­ute passed . . . and I was still waiting.

I then noticed a sign above the crosswalk button that read "Steady,"encouraging pedestrians to wait for the signal to illuminate. I had been standing for about four minutes at this one stoplight—which felt like an eternity. And then, finally, a signal said "Walk," and I continued on my way.

Later that day, I thought about the word steady and how it relates to a long, painful waiting season. Other words for steady include the following: consis­tent, faithful, regular, and constant. It can be difficult to know what to do while you wait when you’re not sure what’s next or why God is making you wait so long. But perhaps there is something we can do as we wait: We can stay steady. We can stay faithful. We can stay consistent, right where our feet are.

In my own life, that’s looked like continuing to show up to the same church and the same community and love the same people God has given me to love, no matter how frustrating they may seem. I can stay faithful in prayer and Scripture reading, even when I don’t see my circumstances changing. Half the battle of staying faithful in a waiting season is continuing to show up.

No matter how long you’ve been waiting, God will give you “perfect strength” (2 Corinthians 12:9) as you struggle to get through today. He will direct you as you feel direction­less. He will steady you as you remain faithful to what He has given you to do. Eventually, God’s perfect plan will be revealed in your situation. And perhaps because of your wait, the answered prayers and the change of seasons will be all the sweeter when it finally happens.

So, stay faithful today. Stay steady. Eventually, this season will give way to something new. And when it happens, you will be ready.

Lord, I lift up this season of waiting to You. Please help me wait well and stay faithful right where You have me. I know You will not waste this season. In Jesus’ name, amen.