Go: A 40-Day Journey To The Never ReachedSample

The Act of Waiting

By: Jonathan Lowrance

Waiting is difficult. Jesus spent a great deal of his time on earth waiting. He spent 30 years waiting—a wait that culminated in a 40-day fast in the wilderness. This intense waiting launched him into ministry. However, life’s best blessings often are born from the most challenging tasks. 

Waiting is not passive. Waiting requires the kind of action that strategically positions us to receive wisdom, direction, and empowerment from God. Before ascending to heaven, Jesus told his followers to wait for the gift promised by God. While waiting in the upper room, they prayed. This action positioned them spiritually to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Waiting isn’t idleness; it’s a passionate pursuit of God.

Waiting has a purpose. My wife and I served as young adult leaders for seven years. We felt called to full-time ministry, but out of necessity, worked secular jobs as we prayed for direction. Long years of waiting with no direction brought frustration. Fear began to consume me, quenching any spark of hope. I felt purposeless and unfulfilled. 

My wife and I decided to vacation in Japan. We were fascinated by the culture. Then a missionary brought us a DVD about Japan. I wept uncontrollably upon hearing that less than 1% of the Japanese know Christ. After years of waiting, God began to speak to me. The fog of uncertainty began to lift, and in its place, clarity was restored. The trip to Japan, the missionary’s DVD, and the indescribable burden for the Japanese people convinced me: God was calling us to be missionaries to Japan. 

This experience taught me two lessons. First, sometimes, in spite of how we might feel, we’re not ready for God’s next step. Second, every part of God’s plan has a specifically designed purpose, including the wait. When your waiting, remember God’s timing is perfect. 

Go Wait

Talk to and pray with a friend or spiritual mentor about your frustrations with waiting. Sometimes it helps to see our situation from another person’s perspective, as they may help us connect some dots we may be overlooking. 

Pray for Never Reached People Group: Okinawan Ryukyuan

Pray for believers at work among the Okinawan Ryukyuan, that they and their families may have wisdom, courage, stamina, provision, favor, protection, and grace as ambassadors of Christ’s love.