Follow Me: When Following Means Waiting

“Follow me.” Those are the words our souls long to hear. They are the invitation we were created to obey. As we obediently surrender to the call of our Lord, bowing our hearts, minds, and lives to His will in worship, we glorify our Creator.

Sometimes, the invitation is crystal clear, and we know exactly what Christ asks us to do. Other times, we feel a nudge from Him, but we aren’t sure which path He desires us to go down. Sometimes, even when we know we clearly heard His call, things seem to stall, and we second guess what we were previously so confident about.

What do we do in the seasons when we feel unsure, and doubt begins to creep in? In those times, it can be tempting to give up, afraid the Lord will not use us, abandoning the call that was once so clear, or rush forward on the path we believe is best.

But neither response helps us grow in our relationship with Jesus because neither response demonstrates complete trust in Him.

So, how should we respond when we feel lost and possibly abandoned by the Lord? What is the proper reply when His will doesn’t seem clear?

“Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;

His understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the faint,

and to him who has no might, he increases strength.

Even youths shall faint and be weary,

and young men shall fall exhausted;

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:28-31 (ESV)

Isaiah reminds us that God is the Creator and His ways are not like ours. Though we may want to move, He may say, “not yet.” We may be frustrated at not knowing, but in His infinite, matchless wisdom, He may know it simply isn’t time. There may be things He wants to teach us first. There may be pieces to the puzzle that He is not ready to put into place. As we wait, He renews our strength to prepare us to run when the time comes.

In seasons when all we want to do is run with the Lord, yet He isn’t telling us it’s time or revealing the next steps, we must surrender to His authority, remembering that He is the God of all creation and His ways are not like ours. Even when it seems that nothing is going on, when we feel frustrated, hurt, or even forgotten, we must submit to His Lordship over our lives and trust that He knows what He is doing.

Those seasons can be difficult because, in them, surrender often means waiting to move. But waiting does not mean we aren’t following Him. In fact, if He desires us to wait, then waiting is obedience.

Those seasons are challenging for me because I like to go and do. Waiting is excruciating. But, from my experience, when we rush ahead of God or become discouraged and give up hope, we delay His plan and purpose for our lives.

Maybe a change in perspective will help you the way it’s helped me. I’ve learned that waiting doesn’t mean inactivity. Periods of waiting on the Lord are opportunities for Him to teach and prepare us, for us to grow in our relationship with Him, and to develop the skills and abilities He wove into our very being precisely so we could follow Him. Isaiah gives us hope, telling us that the Lord renews our strength while we wait so that we will be ready to run when the time comes.

In seasons of waiting, the best thing we can do is to seek Jesus daily. When we pray and spend time in Scripture, we are in relationship with our Creator and Lord. It’s in these moments when His will becomes clear. It may not come as quickly as we would like, but when we actively wait by turning our hearts to His, we align our hearts and minds with His and allow Him to prepare us.

Friend, if you’re in a season of waiting, please know God has not forgotten you or cast you off. He promises never to leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). So, do not be discouraged. Instead, practice actively waiting by spending time with Him daily through prayer and Bible study. Memorize a passage of Scripture. Sing songs of worship. As you recognize the gifts and abilities He has given you, ask Him for opportunities to develop them as He prepares you.

God is faithful, and His plans will not be thwarted (Job 42:2). Sometimes, His invitation to follow means immediately stepping out onto a clear path. But other times, the invitation to follow Him means waiting as He lovingly draws us near, actively preparing us for our next steps.

If you’re in a season of waiting, take heart and seek the Lord. He has not forgotten you. Instead, He invites you to listen to His voice as you draw near Him.

This month, let’s meditate on:

Do you not know? Do you not hear?

Has it not been told you from the beginning?

Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,

and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;

who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,

and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;

who brings princes to nothing,

and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.

Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,

scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,

when he blows on them, and they wither,

and the tempest carries them off like stubble.

To whom then will you compare me,

that I should be like him? says the Holy One.

Lift up your eyes on high and see:

who created these?

He who brings out their host by number,

calling them all by name;

by the greatness of his might

and because he is strong in power,

not one is missing.

Why do you say, O Jacob,

and speak, O Israel,

‘My way is hidden from the Lord,

and my right is disregarded by my God?’

Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;

his understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the faint,

and to him who has no might he increases strength.

Even youths shall faint and be weary,

and young men shall fall exhausted;

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:21-31 (ESV)

Let’s pray:

Oh Lord, my God, there is none like You. You are wise beyond comprehension, and I put my trust in You. What do you want to teach me? How do you want to prepare me? Lord, waiting is so hard, but in this season, I cling to You. Thank You for the gift of spending time with You as I wait. Please draw me near and prepare me for when it is time to move. Until then, I will actively rest in You. I surrender all. Here I am, Lord; use me. Speak, for Your servant listens. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Where are you on your journey with the Lord? Are you in a season of movement? If so, where is He leading you? Or are you in a season of waiting? How are you doing with that? How do you see Him working, even in the waiting? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

Chrissie Angell is the Executive Director and a Co-founder of Humble Faith Ministries. She is a speaker, writer, and Bible teacher passionate about pointing women to Jesus and helping them live out their Kingdom assignments. She and her husband, Brian, live in Kentucky with their two boys and their yellow lab, Charger.