How do we pray when waiting for the doctor’s office to call with our test results? Or the news about a job interview? Or any other big life moment?
Praying while we wait can bring calm and confidence. It is the bridge that connects the present to the future—we receive strength to face our challenges one day at a time. But during a period of waiting, we must also stay present and in the moment.
I recall a time when my family lived in California, but my mind and heart were set on returning back home to New York. We had enjoyed four wonderful years living on the West Coast, but my wife and I knew that it was time to move back.
Before we could go home, I needed to find a job on the East Coast, or at least this is what I thought. While I prayed for the future, I sought opportunities in the present, but doors wouldn’t open.
I prayed and waited for something to happen, but nothing did. The inner voice kept nudging me to take a step of faith and talk to my boss about leaving. This was a scary move, but the more I prayed and listen to my spirit, the more my courage grew.
Several months later, I walked into my boss’s office and said, “At the end of December, I am leaving the organization.” I didn’t have a job lined up, but prayer helped me bridge the gap between that time and the future. It was the most daring move I had ever made. After making my announcement I waited and prayed.
To my surprise, I wasn’t the person who found my next ministry position—God opened a door in the most unexpected way. A friend of my sister-in-law’s who lived in Carmel, New York, said her congregation was looking for an interim pastor. My sister-in-law then told me about the ministry position, and I applied, interviewed via conference call and was hired. In December I left the job in California, and by January 1 I started as the interim pastor.
Prayer expands our imagination and allows us to see what is possible through faith. This interplay of praying and waiting empowers us to live in the moment with courage for tomorrow.
