The Grace to Wait
Isn’t it remarkable how autumn leaves seem to know exactly when to fall?
I had this thought run through my mind while I was waiting near an edge of trees during a recent wedding. As a wedding photographer it’s rare that I have time to be still during the rush of the day; so, you can imagine my surprise when I found myself alone outside, “on pause,” at a wedding last month. The air, which had just been filled with sounds of joyous laughter and the anticipation of what was to come, fell quiet. The bride had retreated inside to finish getting ready - there was nothing I needed to do at that moment.
I stood there perplexed, unsure what to do with myself as I faced the forest. The stillness felt…odd. I took a step away, intending to make myself busy once more…and then I felt it:
That familiar surge of warmth in my heart. The invitation to look beyond what I saw to find more tucked away within the scene before me. A gentle voice: “Be still…and listen…”
The call to pursue being busy rang louder, but I couldn’t resist the voice of my Father.
I took a moment to study the stillness around me, and I found that it wasn’t as quiet as I once thought. Looking into the thick forest, I heard the wind dance through the branches of trees - creating a soft creaking of old wood and a rhythmic dance of a few yellow leaves that flitted to the ground at my feet. It was then I noticed the overall fading green amidst the trees and knew autumn had made its way to us.
I became enraptured with the details of trees before me; my curiosity and awe for God’s creation stirred. That question came to mind:
How is it that the leaves know exactly when to fall? There is never a set date. There isn’t certainty on when cooler temperatures will come - sometimes it’s early, other times it's later.
“And yet,” His voice whispered, “it’s important to understand that it’s not a ‘knowing’, but rather a ‘listening.’”
Trees listen? How?
Our Father, who pours so much into the detail of His creation, has woven a beautiful lesson for us to learn from here.
As the seasons begin to change from the warm months of summer, as days begin growing shorter, trees have been designed with sensors that watch for the growing darkness and colder temperatures so they are ready for when it’s time to prepare for the winter season ahead. When trees finally let go of their leaves it’s because they listened for the whisper of frost - that feeling when the air becomes heavier with winter’s breath.
God has given trees an internal sense - called photoreceptors - that detect light. By design, they wait. They listen. They move when called. It is what they were made for. Do you see the parallel yet?
Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
Psalm 33:20-22
Are you currently in a season of waiting? Or perhaps you are at an in-between not knowing which direction to take? There is so much God does for us in these seasons, but when you’re in the midst of it, it can feel disheartening and confusing.
In The Grace to Wait devotional, (I am linking it below) it says: “David wrote often about the need to wait on the Lord. In the original language, this word means “to rest quietly” or “to quiet oneself.” Does that describe how you wait, or do you fret and worry?”
Furthermore, if we turn directly to scripture, David gives us exact instructions on how to be in the waiting:
“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage…” (Psalm 27;14)
“For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.” (Psalm 33:21)
“Be still in the presence of the Lord…do not fret...” (Psalm 37:7)
“In His word I put my hope…” (Psalm 130:5)
It’s in our nature to worry; to want direction and movement instead of finding closeness to our Abba when a waiting season comes upon us. I am so guilty of this, and so often I miss God’s gentle whisper because of the noise I make while trying to figure it all out on my own.
How often we prioritize our desire for certainty over time with our Father…
Have you ever considered that there is a deeper purpose to a time of waiting? Or perhaps God is equipping you for what is to come? What if, instead, you practiced quieting yourself or learning how to rest with God? Let’s learn more from scripture:
In the waiting…
Combat fear & anxiety with constant prayer.
DANIEL: In the lion's den, Daniel could have let himself be overcome with fear. In fact, the important thing to remember here is Daniel STILL felt fear. But when that fear began growing, he immediately turned to the Lord in prayer. Fear is overpowered by the persistence of prayer and the love of our Father. Let prayer be your focus.
“Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.” Daniel 10:12
In the waiting…
Remember, you are never lost.
JOSEPH: There are times when it feels like we are so far off from where we are supposed to be - we are eagerly waiting for God to direct us - I’d imagine Joseph felt similarly when he was thrown into prison. And yet, Joseph didn’t waste time feeling hopeless and lost. Instead he used his gifts to make the best of where he was placed by reflecting God and helping others. For years he waited, God was working in the meantime, and Joseph showed his trust by focusing on the good he could still bring right where he was.
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20
In the waiting…
God is teaching.
DAVID: God will keep us waiting in order to develop much needed virtues in our lives. Even though David was anointed early on to be king, he would not lead the kingdom for a long time. God knew, for David to become a faithful and humble leader, he needed time to be refined and strengthened. David trusted God’s work through every obstacle, even when he did not fully understand it.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
We can learn so much from the trees and their leaves; how beautiful it is that these towering giants do not KNOW the time, but LISTEN for it with sensors designed by our Creator.
Just like the trees, we too have been given a gift that helps us listen; our sensor of light, the detector of darkness, and the voice of our Father that instructs us through the waiting. The Holy Spirit is the greatest guide and comforter, and we have complete access to this remarkable compass.
As The Requirements of Waiting puts it: “Waiting on God isn’t passive or idle. It takes a determined focus on His wisdom, goodness, and faithfulness no matter how challenging a situation may seem.”
Make it a priority in the next week to create stillness - even if only for 15 minutes a day - so you can learn how to listen - and quiet yourself - with God.
Let yourself reflect on the obedient wonder of the tree standing in complete silence, as it becomes its most beautiful with colors blazing — all in response to the light surrounding it. It might be a whisper to us all that in response to the Light….and in the waiting…we become the most beautiful version of ourselves as well.
