There are questions for information…
like, what time is it?
There are questions of inquiry…
like, what are your symptoms?
There are questions of wonder…
like, how many stars has God flung across the sky?
There are questions of curiosity…
like, how does a plane fly and an iceberg float?
Then there are questions of confusion…
like, what happens now?!
Some questions you google for answers but then there are others, standing at crossroads, that even cyberspace can’t answer. Like, “What’s next?”
We ask because we know we haven’t “arrived.” (Disciples never do, btw—which is the glorious thing about being a disciple.)
We ask “what’s next” because we know, deep down, there’s more. More room for growth. More opportunities for faith to mature. More of God to experience. More to learn. More to do.
Maybe you find yourself at the culmination of a major life achievement:
You’ve finally gotten that degree
Maybe you’ve graduated to the next career level
Or that person you’ve been caring for no longer needs you
Maybe your chicks have up and flown the coop
You’re waiting for your new start-up to start up
You’ve overcome a battle with a tough diagnosis, at last
Or persevered the testing of your faith through some challenging trial
Now what?
When it seems like every major purpose for your life is behind you and you now find yourself standing in a gap, you question.
Just because one thing is done, doesn’t mean it’s all over.
What’s past isn’t all there is.
God doesn’t have a plan for just part of your life.
No! He has numbered ALL your days.
You may not know at this moment what’s next, but that doesn’t mean God doesn’t have something for you.
There is something that’s next . . . if you only knew what it is!
So, you find yourself standing in a space of transition—needing guidance forward. I’ve found the better posture is to kneel.
Prayer is the only way through.
Prayer is intentionally choosing to wait. Because there is a difference between waiting and whiling away time. Waiting is an action of purpose. While the other is passive inaction.
Waiting is what we do as we expectantly hope for what God has already prepared for us. Waiting is filled with faith that God will direct us into the answer to our questions.
And patience is how we wait—in partnership with God. Praying the Spirit will pour patience into our waiting hearts.
Prayerfully asking “what happens next” is not to say a dramatic, life-changing event will suddenly land in your lap or a flurry of activity will busy your days. But that’s not to say good won’t result. Christ-disciples are divinely filled with the Holy Spirit—which means you are in fellowship with Him. As you wait before God in prayer, you can share His fruit with other hungry souls. And make it a blessed time of communion with Him in prayer.
What else goes into those waiting prayers?
Waiting is hard. It stretches faith. And it makes faithfulness even harder. Therefore, along with those fervent prayers for faithfulness to fill the in-between space, it’s necessary to reinforce good spiritual practices.
If you’re asking the Lord to show you what’s next, add discernment to that request—so you can recognize the answer when it comes.
This sort of waiting is ripe with potential to bring you closer to God. However, you pray from a crossroad of choice. You must choose to turn to Him . . . often. Bear your heart’s desire and honest struggles. Choose to trust He is Who He says He is and will receive you gracefully. Choose to hope—because where God is, there is hope. Choose to believe. To love. And obey.
Work up a spiritual hunger. Relentlessly seek God with a holy discontent. Because in the lull lies danger. Danger of becoming satisfied. Comfortable. Distracted. Apathetic.
Ask God to fill you with an earnest longing for more. More room for growth. More opportunities for faith to mature. More of God to experience. More to learn. More to do.
Then believe in His guiding presence and continue to walk closely to Him—right into whatever’s next.