Resounding Themes

In my own reticence, would I ever choose patient endurance as my life theme? Never. Would I rather have joy, gladness, hope, rejoice, triumph, mercy, grace, or goodness as my word of the year, absolutely! But God chose it for me.

Would I like to stay away from a season of striving and just move on? Sure would. But that’s just not my story.

God is calling me deeper into him and into greater intimacy with him. He has given me a higher calling and I have no choice but to be obedient to this call. He is saying with every resounding breath, “Just you wait.” There’s this theme of waiting with every word he speaks over me. Would I rather jump right in? Sure. But God knows, I am just not ready. He isn’t saying, no, he is saying not yet. Just wait.

It comes up everywhere and I can’t ignore it. It is the resounding theme God has given me and I have no choice but to lean in and listen. Every significant verse he has given me recently concerns patient endurance and waiting well.

Habakkuk 2:3

“For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”

Psalm 46:10

“Be still and know that I am God.”

Hebrews 11:1

“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Psalm 130:5

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.”

Psalm 37:7

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.”

Song of Solomon 3:5b

“Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.”

Hebrews 6:11

“But we long to see you passionately advance until the end and you find your hope fulfilled. So don’t allow your hearts to grow dull or lose your enthusiasm, but follow the example of those who fully received what God has promised because of their strong faith and patient endurance.”

Hebrews 10:36

“Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.”

Revelation 13:10

“This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.”

If these do not scream, “wait” then I don’t know what will!

What I love about the term and theme of patient endurance (which I have grown to love) is it two parts- patience (waiting) and endurance (perseverance) in the waiting.

I think it is necessary I point out “waiting well” doesn’t mean being stuck and stagnant. Patient endurance is a process of action, movement, and growth. It means I must continue to take action, even in the waiting! I will continue to be all God has called me to be in the waiting.

To be still and know doesn’t mean to sit still and wait for God to strike me with his blessing. But to be still, means to still my soul. Translated in the literal sense, it means to “cease striving” and surrender my anxiety. Could there ever be anything more convicting or misunderstood?

There is a difference between waiting in stagnation and waiting in action. I want to wait well in action! I want to know the spirit’s stirring so intimately that it moves me to action. I want to say yes when called, even in a winter season.

I don’t want to hibernate in the winter. I don’t just want to survive in the anxiety-driven fight, flight, or freeze- I want to thrive with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who takes away my anxiety and stills my soul. BE STILL AND KNOW.

This is drastically different from living in complacence because “it just isn’t my season.” It may not be “my season” but I know God is going to use me in a mighty way if I just lean in and be obedient in this season.

So now I challenge YOU. It’s your turn!

What is the resounding theme God is speaking over you in this current season? I guarantee you he is making it known.

His fingerprints will lead you there- time and time again- but you miss it, unless you lean in and pay attention.

It’s possible every worship song shuffling on your Spotify playlist is echoing the same theme. That’s the Holy Spirit speaking- Lean in and LISTEN!

Is your morning devotional day after day saying the same theme over and over in a different way? Cataloge it. Write it down. Keep track. Continue to put the puzzle together.

Is God waking you up in the middle of the night to whisper something in your ear? Pay attention. Don’t forget it. Let his words wash over you. Capture those words. Don’t forget them. Cherish them. He spoke them just for YOU!

Identify your theme. Search for God’s fingerprints. He will make it beyond clear to you- just lean in!