Embracing Silence: How Waiting in Prayer Leads to Healing and Renewal

My pastor is caring for his 97-year-old grandmother. Those familiar with her know she is a determined woman who prefers to do things her own way, which can be challenging when you're 97 and have difficulty walking. Despite her mobility issues, she sometimes pushes herself too far, leading to falls. A few months ago, after one such fall, the pastor had to take her to the hospital for some stitches, and I drove them there. I waited with them in the waiting room for the doctor to call. Recently, I was reminded of it while thinking about other "waiting periods in life." If you find yourself in a waiting period for something and often say, "I can't wait anymore," today's blog post is for you.

Waiting periods can be hard, leaving people feeling powerless and particularly vulnerable. These times test one's character and expose personal shortcomings. When facing life's difficulties, some people prefer to act rather than wait for divine intervention to bring light to challenging situations, highlighting character flaws. In their impatience, they discover that fretting does not alter the decisions of the one in charge of the "waiting room." The purpose of waiting periods in life is to bring order to chaos, bring healing and humility to areas of pride, reveal manipulative tendencies, and, as a result, transform a person's character in the process.

During life transitions, to sustain new assignments and the abundance of blessings in the upcoming season, your character must be checked for vulnerabilities that require transformation. If you refuse to deal with what the Holy Spirit is putting His finger on, you’ll take that garbage with you in the next season. For you to stand upright in your new season, you need to deal with where you’re at right now.

What was not addressed in your previous season?

In a daily walk with Jesus, adopting a prayerful posture of waiting silently for the Holy Spirit's ministry to reveal character flaws is a crucial part of renewal. When the soul has been wounded, holding onto negative feelings such as resentment, dissatisfaction, bitterness, and unforgiveness causes unnecessary pain and keeps people stuck in certain life seasons. It's essential to open one's heart to a thorough examination in order to move on. Often, old wounds trap people in a mentality of victimhood, pride, and resentment, perpetuating cycles of dissatisfaction.

The Word of God states, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” - 1 John 1:7 Reflecting on this scripture today, I am reminded of several broken relationships. It feels like I am moving through a period of various relational challenges. For some of these relationships, I believe changes are needed from both sides to reconnect and reconcile. However, at the very least, I can ensure that my heart is in the right place by overcoming my own shortcomings.

In my personal growth, I've discovered that when I allow the light of Christ illuminate my soul, I'm often surprised by how incorrectly I view myself, others, and life situations. I've experienced this process numerous times, gaining many benefits, and feel that it has been a continuous journey for me for quite some time. Through this process, I've dug out wells of creativity within myself that I wasn't aware of.

Today, I invite you to join me me on this journey by embracing a prayerful stance to reflect on 1 John 1:7 and to wait for the Holy Spirit's guidance to reveal hidden aspects of your heart. When painful memories emerge, avoid becoming trapped in pain or prideful thought patterns. Be open to repentance, seek forgiveness, and ask for the cleansing power of Jesus' blood over past sins and life's challenges.

If you need time to process something, you can journal your prayerful waiting journey.

The process brings healing, forgiveness, and renewal to your soul. Keep digging through hard parts of your heart! If you have vivid dreams, it wouldn't surprise me if you start dreaming about being in a hospital. This could be the Holy Spirit's way of affirming that you are embarking on another healing journey.

Remember to share your healing testimonies with other people, because your river of healing might be a blessing to someone else too. Oh, yes, please feel free to share it with me too!

 “But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”  - Isaiah 40:31