Archive: How to Wait on God

By Margaret Therkelsen

I can remember as a high school student often talking with my father, a UM minister, about wanting to know how to grow in grace. I knew that I had my part and God had his, and that the basic ingredients of prayer, Bible reading and obedience were essential to growth. However, I kept feeling there was an added dimension of spiritual understanding involving responsiveness to his presence that would greatly enhance my growth. I did not understand at that time that this involved protracted periods of waiting on God. This waiting included listening to God, a calming of the inner person, and an altering of the capacity to be aware of God.

Waiting on God should teach us a more reverent receptivity; a quieter, less self-willed listening; a calmer repose and collectedness which opens the door to knowing God better, because we can hear him speak and respond to him in conversation and in our will.

Our difficulty lies basically in the feverish, frantic way we live with very little time spent in God’s presence. Our dilemma centers around not knowing the value of spending time in the presence of God nor really understanding how it is done. Waiting is a totalitarian experience of body, mind and spirit. This includes relaxing the body when it has been agitated and tense, focusing the mind on God when it has been scattered over many interests, and getting in touch with the inner spirit when we have lived externally rather than internally.

The Scriptures are full of invitations to come into his living presence. Matthew 11:28-30, Isaiah 40:29-31 and Proverbs 8:34-36 are but just a few.

There are several principles to follow in order to enter into the presence of God. These are not difficult but require time and patience to experience the actuality of them. The lives of Christians throughout history, regardless of their station in life, have involved these great principles.

1. Find a quiet place in your home that will be without outside distractions, noise, phone, TV, recordings, and tapes. You will quickly discover that it is not nearly as difficult to eliminate the exterior noises as it is to eliminate the interior noises. These distractions hinder our ability to focus due to darkness and the unknown within us. This takes courage to persist, but it is not impossible.

2. It is important to ask the Holy Spirit to guide and teach us (John 14:26). We must refer to him!

3. Return daily to this same place, which the Old Testament refers to as the tent of meeting, and the New Testament refers to as the place of abiding in Jesus. Regularity aids us in accustoming ourselves to coming into the quiet. We may begin to enjoy it!

4. Sit in a comfortable chair poised, alert, respectful and anticipating an encounter with God.

5. Relax your body and mind. Avoid trying too hard, or trying to do it perfectly. Relax, let go, this is your time to cast your burden on him.

6. Waiting on God involves the whole person, spirit, soul and body. Give him your mind that you might receive from his mind. Give him your body, its energies to be refreshed by his life. Give him your emotions, all your feelings, to be cleansed by his love. Give him your will that you might know and love the will of God. Give him your human spirit so that he might reign as Lord of your spirit.

7. There are two ways to realize God’s presence. First through the Word of God, such as taking a single thought as Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God,” and meditate on each word. The second way is through using our minds and imaginations. In your mind’s eye see yourself talking with Jesus, look at him face to face and listen to his response to you (II Corinthians 3:18).

8. Know that you will experience mental distractions and be prepared to wait even though your mind is unruly. Speak gently but firmly to your mind and bring it back to Jesus.

9. Use the name of Jesus often, repeated softly; or use the “Jesus prayer” to keep yourself collected and focused. A form of the Jesus prayer is, “Lord Jesus Christ Son of the living God have mercy on me.”

10. Keep reaffirming during this time that you are there to know the Lord better and to wait on him.

11. Take 10 to 15 minutes at the end of your devotional time and listen for his voice and presence.

Andrew Murray, in his wonderful book Waiting on God, says to stay positive and believe you can and will wait and that God will draw you into his presence.

Will you meet me in the waiting place at the throne of God? I hope to see you there.

Margaret Therkelsen, a teacher and counselor, is the author of The Love Exchange (Bristol). This is the second of three columns on this subject.

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