E83: What to Do While You Are Waiting

10/10/22 • 9 min

When God asks us to wait, He asks us to trust Him. But what should you do, if anything, while you are waiting? Listen in to Episode 83 of Just One Simple Thing to learn four things that King David did during his 15 year wait.
We are in the middle of a series about waiting and procrastinating. In the last episode, we talked about how you can tell the difference. If you missed that, head back to Episode 82 and check it out.
A few years ago, my friend Merritt Onsa did an episode on her Devoted Dreamers podcast with Holly Christine Hayes. One thing they talked about was how hard it is to pursue your dreams during certain seasons of life. Holly shared the difficult truth about pursuing a God-shaped dream –that it’s hard and it may require everything of you.
As a result, this may not the season for stepping out. It is a difficult truth, indeed. There are times in your life when your family, your job, your other responsibilities require all of your time, energy and focus, and there’s nothing left over for dream work.
It almost seems unfair, doesn’t it? I mean, why would God give you this dream and then ask you to wait? Why not wait to strike you with the inspiration at a time when you can do something about it?
David knew a little something about waiting. It was more than 15 years between the time that Samuel picked him out of the family line-up and declared that he would be king, and the time when he actually became king. So David did a lot of waiting.
Even though David spent a long time in a holding pattern, he also did some practical things that prepared him for his destiny without running ahead of God. And he gives us some clues of how we can wait well.
David stayed faithful to his current assignment.

God has something for you to accomplish in your current assignment. Staying faithfully engaged honors God’s purpose in your life and the work he’s given you to do.
David matured as a man after God’s own heart.
This is when you learn the spiritual skills you’ll need to step into your dream .... to hear God clearly, to depend on him for direction, and to believe He is working for your good.
David learned what he needed to be king.
David learned by serving before he stepped into his role as leader. Look for places you can serve while learning the things you’ll need to know when the waiting is over.
David built his tribe.
Start developing a network of people who may be part of what you are doing in the future.
ACTION STEP
If you are in a time of waiting, create your own Wait Plan. Head over to my free Facebook group, Plan & Pray with Do A New Thing, to get a worksheet to help you step through these practical tips and decide which ones are for you.
In the next episode, we’ll tackle the second half of our waiting or procrastinating equation and talk about how to get out of the procrastination pit. I hope you’ll join me for that one.
RESOURCES
Episode 53: Simple Strategies for Capturing Leads and Ideas
Devoted Dreamers Podcast, Ep

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Are you tired from trying to share your God-inspired message while working your full time job? Do you wonder if it’s worth it, or even possible, to build a ministry or business on the side?
I have good news for you. It is possible. It is worth it. You can do it.
Download the Honor System Guide, to help you honor all the work God has given you to do.

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Previous Episode

E82: Are You Waiting or Procrastinating?

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Sometimes, God has us in a period of waiting. Sometimes, we put ourselves in a period of procrastinating. And often, we get the two mixed up. In Episode 82 of Just One Simple Thing, you’ll learn ways to discern the difference between Godly waiting, and plain old procrastinating.
I’ve said before that many of the podcast episodes are based on old blog posts. This one is based on my very first blog post, from September of 2015, and I remember exactly how I was feeling. I had already launched my website to promote my coaching services, but I never thought I would actually blog. I procrastinated on the blogging for about three months, and when I decided it was time to just do it, I figured I should drag some people along with me!
Many times we truly are waiting on God before moving forward. We wait for God to make it clear it is time for a change. We wait. And we wait. And it is good.
But sometimes, we use "waiting" an an excuse ... as a euphemism for procrastinating. The challenge God has put in front of us is so big, so audacious, that we just can't wrap our heads around it. So we wait. And we wait. And it is procrastinating.
So how do we know the difference?
1. Waiting renews your strength. Procrastinating saps your energy.
When God calls usto a time of waiting, it's not for a time of doing nothing. He has a purpose when He is preparing us.
2. Waiting inspires hope. Procrastinating instills dread.

God-ordained waiting brings a hopeful excitement. Something big on the horizon is going to change everything and because God is in it, we know it is worth the wait.
Procrastination brings a burdensome dread.
If we don' t get up and do what God has called us to do, the loss will be crushing.
3. Waiting focuses on God. Procrastinating focuses on me.

When God asks us to wait, He asks us to trust Him.
We are listening for His voice and watching what He is doing around us. The fear of failure will cause us to put things off, being more concerned about how we will look than how God will move.
Waiting can be a productive time of refreshing, preparing and drawing closer to God. But when God says, "Go", it's time to jump in with our whole heart.
ACTION STEP
Do this little assessment. On a scale of 1 –10, are you getting stronger or feeling drained ... 10 for stronger, 1 for drained. 10 for feeling hopeful, 1 for feeling dread. 10 for focusing on God, 1 for focusing on you. If you scored less than 15 points, friend, you are probably procrastinating. Decide now to take your first step of obedience. (Check out Episodes 9 and 10 for more ideas on taking your first steps.)
RESOURCES
Episode 9 Take Your First Steps Part 1
Episode 10 Take Your First Steps Part 2

Next Episode

E84: The REAL Secret for Overcoming Procrastination

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Are you a chronic procrastinator? I think we could all say yes to that question at some point or another. Maybe you’ve tried all the tips and tricks to avoid procrastination and are wondering why it’s still a problem for you. In Episode 84 of Just One Simple Thing, you’ll learn the one secret to overcoming procrastination.
We are in the middle of a series on Waiting and Procrastinating. In Episode 82, we talked about how to tell if you are waiting on God, or procrastinating. In Episode 83, we learned from King David about how to wait well. And in this episode, I’m going to share with you the one surprising thing you can do to overcome procrastination.
If you google “how to stop procrastinating”, you’ll find a ton of articles with all kinds of helpful tips .... Like starting with one simple step, making the thing you want to do the easiest thing to do, and creating short-term deadlines.
But jumping straight to those strategies skips an important step ... the MOST important step in overcoming procrastination.
You have to understand WHY you are procrastinating.
Because all those tips and hacks and strategies address the symptoms of procrastination, but if you don’t address the WHY, you’ll just find another way to avoid doing what you need to do.
Let’s look at a few real reasons you may be procrastinating, and how you can deal with those, and them maybe you can make some progress in your battle against putting things off.
1. Sometimes you procrastinate because you are overwhelmed by a big project and don’t know where to start. Either you have no plan ... just a long, jumbled to-do list, OR you may be trying to over-plan... lay out every little detail before you start. For a big project, it’s best to break it down into phases, then create a plan for each phase.
2. Maybe you procrastinate because you are afraid whatever you do, it won’t be good enough, so why even start? Remember that YOU get to define the standard of what “good” is ... of what “finished” looks like. Progress happens in different ways for everyone.
3. You put off doing the things you don’t like to do. And honestly, this one is the easiest to overcome. It’s where those hacks and tips come in handy ... make the thing you need to do the easiest thing to do, limit your distractions, commit to work on it just 10 minutes.
ACTION STEP
Look at the one thing you’ve been putting off the longest and figure out why you are avoiding it. Then come up with one simple step you can take to get started.
In the next episode, we’ll wrap up the series by talking about what to do when a season of waiting is over. I’ve heard from so many people about how this series has helped them. If you are one of them, please share it with a friend!
RESOURCES
14 Practical Ways for Procrastinators
A Scientific Guide on How to Stop Procrastinating