Wait: How to Best Anticipate Outcomes in Waiting Times - Jeanne Takenaka

Lisa Jordan

In waiting times, do you ever anticipate the outcome?

A couple of weekends ago, my husband and I finished our Saturday morning breakfast he’d prepared, then talked about how to spend the rest of our day. He asked, “How about we take the bikes, park at the dam, then ride out to the beaver ponds to go fishing?” My quick, “Sure!” surprised him. 

Wanting to take advantage of the rare early April mid-70s temperatures and sunshine, we decided to visit a local state park near our house. 

We parked his truck, unloaded our bikes, then trekked down paved and dirt roads until we reached the beaver ponds two-and-a-half miles away from the parking lot.  

My husband is an avid outdoorsman who loves to hunt, fish, and spend quality time in nature. Tromping through the woods relaxes him. Me—not so much because, well, you see, there are snakes in the woods. But as we move deeper into this season of our lives, I want to spend as much quality time as I can doing what he enjoys.  Because he doesn’t complain when I want to visit Michael’s or Hobby Lobby for “just for a quick minute.”

Sunshine streamed through the trees as we started pedaling, pausing every so often so I could take pictures. About halfway to our destination, my excitement waned as my muscles started to protest the slight inclines. I hadn’t packed enough water. So, while I wanted to empty my bottle, I sipped sparingly because the path before me seemed never-ending.

But once we arrived, the excitement of what was about to happen kicked in. We were looking forward to a quiet afternoon of fishing and spending quality time together. 

Plot Twists

Every good story needs a plot twist, our first one was this—we had stopped at a swinging bridge to take photos. As Hubby got back on his bike, he snapped off the end of his fishing pole. Thankfully, he’d brought two because I planned to fish as well. I said he could fish while I took pictures.

We arrived at the beaver ponds, soaked in the raw beauty of the wildness around us, and then my husband proceeded to cast his rod to fish. I crouched in weeds to get some cool shots of a Canada goose sitting on her nest, a small waterfall, and a beaver home constructed of sticks and mud. 

Unfortunately, the beaver ponds hadn’t been stocked with trout as he’d hoped. So cast after cast offered nothing for his efforts. Instead of pedaling to other ponds farther down the road, we chose to head back. On the way back to the truck, at one point, we chose to stop and walk our bikes up the slight incline instead of taxing our already-tired muscles. 

Insert plot twist two—while chatting and soaking in the sunshine, something slithered in front of my foot!!! I screamed and froze in place while a two-foot garter snake crossed the dirt road into the grass. With my heart racing and my breathing hitched, I forced myself to calm and not melt into a hysterical puddle on the road. 

I have an intense phobia of snakes. It was a HUGE deal for me to be able to move past the snake and continue on our way. 

Despite these minor setbacks, we had a very enjoyable day . . . yes, even after I found two ticks on me while taking a shower.

Different Waiting Times

Why am I telling you this rambling story? Because that afternoon can be paralleled to different waiting times in our lives. 

Wait: How to Best Anticipate Outcomes in Waiting Times—We make a plan, take time to prepare, and then anticipate an experience only to have it not go as we’d hoped @lisajordan #tellhisstory #waiting #faith Click To Tweet

We make a plan, take time to prepare, and then anticipate an experience only to have it not go as we’d hoped. Or maybe we move forward only to get stuck in a time of waiting. When we’re going through difficult seasons, that waiting can seem like it takes forever. The anticipation of what’s to come—even if it’s positive—can be a burden.

How Do We Get Through Waiting Times

How do we get through it? Two words—faith and trust. 

I love this verse:

Have faith in God and trust Him to keep His promises. It’s easy to say and more difficult to do. But if we make an intentional effort to keep focused on Him during waiting times, then anticipating the outcome will deepen our faith and grow our abilities for the next time.

Wait: How to Best Anticipate Outcomes in Waiting Times—But if we make an intentional effort to keep focused on Him during waiting times, then anticipating the outcome will deepen our faith and grow our abilities @lisajordan… Click To Tweet

Our faith is tested during those waiting seasons. Waiting for the Lord to fulfill His promises strengthens us and gives us the courage to wait with trusting hearts and bold faith. 

What about you? How have you grown in your walk as you’ve waited for the Lord to act in some area of your life? How do you handle the anticipation of the outcome?

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