I recently traveled to the west coast to record a video-promo for the 2018 Women of Joy conferences, preach at a church, and then record a tv interview. One of my favorite places in all the world is the beach. After completing my scheduled work, a friend treated me to a couple hours at a pier overlooking the ocean and beach. That is where my soul finds peace.

As I stood up on the pier, I had the delight of watching surfers in the way-too-cold water sizing up the waves to glide in toward shore. I stood nice and dry watching them from above. At least a dozen sat on their boards in that frigid water waiting and waiting and waiting for the perfect wave to catch.

The thing is, you have to be in the right place to catch a wave. If the surfers were up on shore, the waves would do them no good. Even those in the water, if they give up too soon, or turn their backs, they are going to miss the right wave.

That parallels our life with God. We have to go where God tells us to go, and we have to wait on God’s timing. It’s easy to get impatient, and complain, and even cry out, “God, what is taking you so long?” But we have to stay in the water, and we have to wait on God’s timing. We have to trust that God will make things happen, He will bring fruit for our efforts when the time is right.

I became amused as I watched the surfers. Some were chatting amongst themselves, and some kept paddling out further into the ocean depths, and one just lay on his board with legs dangling in the water and his hands up supporting his head and neck. He clearly had no intention of trying to rush through the process and was willing to wait on the perfect wave to come to him—because he knew that in time, it would.

We have to be in the right place and be willing to wait. We also need to take the time to get the training and the experience to do what God calls us to do.

Several times as I watched the surfers, I thought an oncoming wave would be the perfect wave for them, but they just let it go by. I’ve never attempted surfing. I don’t know the first thing about it. I haven’t taken the time to get the training or the experience that would allow me to judge the appropriateness of the waves. Yet clearly their training and experience has allowed them the insight to size up the waves in order to determine which one was worth investing their energy in.

Part of following God’s call is being willing to put in the time to learn. Part of it is being willing to get the training and experience necessary to execute the task He has called you to do. Sometimes we want the wisdom and knowledge without having to put in the time.

I’m sure the surfers had been putting in their time to master their craft. They practiced and put in their due-diligence to learn which wave is worth an investment of their time and energy so they don’t waste the resources they have available to them.

God calls us to do the same thing. He wants us to put in the time getting the training, the experience, the knowledge to execute whatever He calls us to do. Whether it is writing, or speaking, or parenting, or teaching…whatever it is He has for you to do, there is always a learning phase, and frequently time to practice, practice, practice to do it all in excellence and for His glory.

We must be willing to 1) take the time, 2) follow His lead, and 3) wait on Him for the result.

What are you waiting on God for? I’d love to hear in the comments below.

Because of Him, #HopePrevails!

A prayer for direction while waiting on God

Can I pray for you?

Dear Father,
I thank you for the one who is reading these words right now. I thank you that they are your masterpiece created to do great things in and for you. Will you please clearly show them what you would have them to do, help them follow your lead, and be willing to wait on you for the result. You are already doing a new thing. Help them perceive it. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

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