What to Do While You Are Waiting: Shake in the Wait

Hello friends and welcome back to Strengthen Your Walk as we continue our discussion today about what to do while we wait. Understanding that waiting is far from a passive activity in which we do nothing and that it is not wasted time should cause us to ask: then why am I having all these negative thoughts? And why is my mind being bombarded with thoughts like: ‘God is finished with me. I’ll never get that job. I’m being punished. It has been too long; I should just give up.’

Watch What to Do While You Are Waiting with Kim Crabill

Along with this mind-battle, you begin to see people posting fabulous God-stories on Facebook and before long, you’ll begin to compare. And the spiral down of emotions that has already begun moves into a fast freefall bringing on discouragement, doubt, and even worse if not stopped. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?

But it is then that we must remember that we can run to the Word! Psalm 37:7 says, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Do not fret because of those who prosper in their ways.” It really doesn’t matter if others’ ways are good or not so good; comparison is never the path to our purpose.

Comparison will either leave you feeling prideful or pitiful and God wants neither. God has made a way for us to be powerful so what can we do? First, we must ask ourself: where are these thoughts coming from? We know that if they’re condemning, they are not from God according to Romans 8:1. Secondly, if they’re tempting us to give up or doubt or question our faith, we know that’s not from God because of James 1:13.

It says He will never tempt us. And if our thoughts are anything against what we read right here in God’s word, we know that’s not of God because God will never go against His own Word. So, once we determine that our thoughts are not coming from God, we must know what to do next. In times like that, I think the apostle Paul has a technique he used that I love.

You can read the entire account in the book of Acts. Shipwrecked in a storm, Paul is gathering wood when a viper attacked and attached itself to him. What Paul did is exactly what we can do when we are attacked by venomous and toxic thoughts during our waiting times. Acts 28:5 says, “Paul shook the snake off and suffered no ill effects.” Friends, when venomous words attack our minds (and you can bet that they will), we must shake them off!

They may attack, but we can take action before they attach themselves to us and cause harm. Just last week I experienced negative thoughts bombarding my mind. Walking from my bedroom to my laundry room, I realized I was depressing myself.

‘My goodness, where is this coming from?’ First, I asked myself that question, but quickly I realized this is not of God. I literally stopped to shake. “No!” I said out loud. Because you got to remember the enemy can’t hear what we think; we have to speak out loud. And I said, “I will not allow these toxins to linger in my mind.” I don’t know if you’re familiar with the children’s game Etch-a-Sketch? You’d write something on there and then you shake it and all the words fall off.

Well, that’s kind of what Paul was telling us about. That’s the picture that I see. But in this shaking, there’s also a bonus benefit to what Paul is saying: you can’t shake without smiling! Go ahead, try it. Stand up and shake. See, I told you!

Friends, waiting is not easy, but it’s a time in which we can know that we’re all gonna be called. It’s a time for God to work. We must protect our minds during the grind of waiting. And with those toxic thoughts that come to play in your mind, just shake them off! Shake and replace them with what God would say. By doing so, you – like Paul – will suffer no ill effects and you will have grown stronger in your wait. I hope knowing what to do during your wait will strengthen your walk.

Watch Now!