“Dan! I’m feeling like I’m in a dead-end situation, but I’m not going to move until God tells me to do so!”
I received this note recently from a reader – and it represents thousands of similar notes I continue to receive every single day.
“Dan, I’m miserable, frustrated, anxious, sick, exhausted, bored, nervous, worried, concerned, restless, fearful, frightened, apprehensive, troubled, upset, angry, exasperated, incensed, infuriated, discouraged, aggravated, maddened, offended, disappointed, distressed, anguished, tormented, suffering, afflicted, suffering, persecuted” – well, you get the idea. Just today I received a note from a lady who said, “My spirit is broken. I feel like I have lost my ability to hope and dream and believe in myself and my abilities.”
The challenging thing is to know how God “tells” us to move. My observation is that it’s usually not an audible voice but rather in experiencing frustration, anxiety, physical maladies and lack of peace. Aren’t those legitimate ways God could speak to encourage us to move, to try something new?
48 Days Coach Joel Boggess recently added: “Maybe the burning bush scene that a lot of folks (with the best of intentions) hope to see, happens internally and consumes from within.” Wow – I think that’s profound. The burning bush we are hoping to see is actually burning us up – consuming us from the inside out with our anxiety and anger.
Uncertainty, frustration in or even losing a job or business can often be simply a prod to a higher level of success. The eagles build a nest using thornbush strands to lock it together. Then they cover them with leaves and feathers to make it soft and comfortable. However, when the eaglets are about twelve weeks old, mom and dad eagles begin to remove the protection from the thorns. Pretty soon the little eaglets are up on the edge of the nest to avoid the pain and discomfort. Then mom and dad eagle fly by with tasty morsels of food just out of reach. Soon the little eaglet makes a big leap to get away from the pain and the hunger, and you know what happens – rather than the anticipated crashing on the rocks below, he learns he can fly. I truly believe that oftentimes God allows circumstances in our lives, not to leave us in pain or hungry, but to lead us to higher levels of success that we would not otherwise explore.
If we don’t respond to the discomfort, how do really expect God to move us? Do you wait until you’re fired and then assume God did that? Do you wait until you have ulcers? Or until you are so frustrated that you lash out at someone in anger?
Recognize that a “dead-end situation” may itself be God’s way of trying to get you to move. Don’t expect Him to come down here, grab you by the collar and jerk you out of there. You’ve got to move yourself.
See this time in your life as one of those times – the beginning of a new season in your life. And see this opportune time and the desire to find the work that God has for you to do as some of those thorns that are causing you to look for some new alternatives.
I was taught that Dan. Wait on the Lord but what wasn’t taught is how the Lord would reveal His will. I think many use that as an excuse to not take action, it’s a thin line.
Kimanzi – oh is it ever a thin line. I don’t want to jump ahead of God but I also don’t to sit on my butt when he’s already given me a push.
Couldn’t agree more. My brother does that too often. I tell him the answers right in front of him but he keeps waiting.
I’ve always thought that for many “waiting on God” was an excuse for them to do nothing. I’ve looked at the word “wait” in the bible in the same context as a “waiter” in a restaurant. Just like a waiter serves his customers “wait upon the Lord” to me means “serve the Lord”. I believe we shouldn’t just sit and wait on God because he is most likely waiting on us to get up and do something. The comedian Ken Davis has a great little skit about this very subject. You can find it on his blog. http://www.kendavis.com/lighten-up-monday/a-man-without-moss/
You are so right. That familiar passage in Isaiah has been used as an excuse for doing nothing for centuries. I just clicked over and watched the Ken Davis clip. Ken lives here in Franklin and is a long time friend of mine. Love his stuff, and that clip is right on track with this idea of “waiting on God.” No moss on this rear
Dan, what a GREAT post!!!
While discontent, anxiety, fear, and stress can all be awful things during times of our life when are going through job changes, finding ourselves stuck in situations we never thought we would be in etc. I truly believe that the pain from these types of feelings is what moves us into action. It is too easy to get into the “martyr zone” when we are feeling burdened, when it fact it is the get my butt into action and move it zone that is what is really best for us as it can unleash our true purpose of what we were born to do.
Jen – you are so right. This idea of “waiting on God” has left some of the best talents God handed out dormant and inactive. The definition of “faith” is to move forward when we can’t clearly see the path. But at least we’re moving. Thanks for your comments.
Don’t just sit around waiting on God because he’s probably waiting on us to get up and do something. Ken Davis has a great little skit about this very topic on his blog. http://www.kendavis.com/lighten-up-monday/a-man-without-moss/
Roger, I just clicked over and watched the Ken Davis clip. Ken lives here in Franklin and is a long time friend of mine. Love his stuff, and that clip is right on track with this idea of “waiting on God.” No moss on this rear!
Great post. Waiting on the Lord was never meant to be passive…I believe that true waiting is expectant hope. Action is required. Keep inspiring Dan!
Dan this was such a really insightful and great post. I have experienced God speaking to me in these ways we don’t always associate with His voice and each time it resulted in a better situation. I admit I haven’t always recognized His voice in these types of things immediately – but I am becoming more familiar and moving faster! Thanks for a great post and happy 4th.
Just know that God is in control, and he says to knock and it will be open to you. He may have something better for you. Your dream job maybe behind the next door you knock on. Pray that he opens the door you are to go through. You will know which door if you trust God to open it for you. You know which doors not to knock on. When you go to a person’s house and knock on there door, you expect to have some that lives in the house to answer that door. It is the same thing. If you knock on the door that you know that God wants you to go there and if he is there it will open for you. Get out there and knock and seek God. You will find him there waiting there for you. It maybe that he is waiting behind the door of your dream job! 🙂
I love the post Dan, This me you are talking to. I could of accomplish greater things in life if had really paid attention to really what waiting on the Lord meant. Thank you
The most valuable life principles seem to come through just living life. Be grateful for the learning and use what you know now in moving forward with confidence.
Dan, how does one know if the frustration, anger and fear etc is God telling us to keep going or to stop? Not always easy to tell. You read about authors who are best sellers who were rejected 100, 200 times. After 99 rejections could someone say, hey this is too much? Clearly God is trying to tell me something. Chicken Soup for the Soul I think was rejected 140 times (take or give). What if they stopped ONE shy of a YES! It’s tough to tell sometimes if the pain is something telling us to keep going or to stop!