It’s striking how much Scripture speaks of waiting.

In the Psalms and Proverbs:
​“For you I wait all day long.”
​“For God alone my soul waits in silence.”
​“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and shield.”
​“Do not say, ​‘I will repay evil’; wait for the Lord, and he will help you.”

In the oft-quoted Isaiah passage:
​“Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.”

In the final earthly instructions of Jesus to wait in Jerusalem ​“for the promise of the Father,” and in dozens of other passages.

God’s instruction to wait isn’t to test us or because God isn’t ready to give us good things. God is eternally ready to bless. The waiting is for our sake: to grow the fruit of patience, to still our frantic hearts, to strengthen our souls. 

Renovaré founder Richard Foster is Quaker, a Christian tradition that emphasizes waiting upon God. I’ve noticed this Quaker influence in various aspects of how Renovaré does things.

In an early newsletter, Richard addresses people who want to host a Renovaré event. Whereas I might say, ​“That’s great! Give us a call, fill out this form, let’s chat and see if it’s a fit,” Richard points them toward waiting on the Lord:

“If you have a drawing toward hosting an event, I suggest you hold the idea before God for a few days. If the desire passes, drop it — you have saved yourself and us valuable time and energy. But if the impression continues to be strong, share your hope with two or three others whose discernment you trust. You may need to visit with someone in authority like a pastor or group leader. If together you continue to feel clearness to pursue the matter, then write to us.”

For our recent presidential search, a ​“Clearness Committee” was formed for the purpose of listening to God about the decision. ​“The committee’s function,” Quaker J. Brent Bill writes, ​“is to create a space where Christ’s voice can be heard.” And that’s exactly what they did (along with plenty of other due diligence).

“Everyone is just waiting,” wrote Dr. Seuss in Oh the Places You’ll Go. And it’s true, all of us are always waiting for something: “… a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come.” What God invites us to (and Quakers have much to teach us here) is a kind of waiting on the Spirit that is active, alert, and attentive. Practically, one way to do this is to carve out time in quiet with God, whether alone or with a group.

Lord, teach us to actively wait on you and to create space where your voice can be heard.