Is It Analysis Paralysis or Waiting on God?
by Emily Wielgosz
I used to think waiting on the Lord looked like coming to a complete stop until I had crystal clear discernment, but I’ve come to realize that waiting well actually looks a lot more like a yield sign than a stop sign.
The Bible talks a lot about waiting.
Isaiah 40:31 is one of the most popular verses about waiting on the Lord. I think this is likely because of the distinct imagery, or maybe riding shotgun on the back of an eagle just sounds really cool to some people.
What it tells us is waiting produces strength and endurance. This specific type of waiting is hopeful and expectant. It’s a conscious handing over of your life, what you’re working through, and placing it back into the hands of Someone who already has it all figured out.
It’s not a sit-around kind of wait.
You know how those overly cautious drivers are? They have the best intentions, but the truth is that going too slow or making a complete stop for too long at a yield can be dangerous.
Just like the minimum speed signs on the interstate, I can’t help but think God has a minimum speed for our daily lives too.
A kind of warning of being overly cautious coupled with an encouragement to keep going.
Yielding, but still moving.
Checking blind spots, but proceeding.
We can spend a lot of time stopped as we try to navigate the turns in our life.
The truth is, I think He’s a lot more concerned with the posture of our hearts and less about whether we’re going left or right. (Proverbs 16:1-2, 21:2)
Think about it.
Jesus spent time yielding to God. He retreated and prayed, but then He got to work and He taught His disciples to do the same.
He gave them authority and told them to get about the Father’s business.
He knew their hearts, every detail, even the mistakes that would happen along the way and He still charged them to go out and do.
Can you imagine if they overthought this life mission? If they came to a complete stop and spent too much time at home overthinking their preparedness, grueling over the next turn, or endlessly analyzing every detail of the journey?
Thankfully Jesus doesn’t have a spirit of stopping in fear—
and friend, you don’t either.
God gives us a spirit of power, love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7,9). He gave us this spirit to multiply our talents for His glory and to fulfill His purpose.
We see what happens to the man who put a halt on things, hiding his talents in the parable Jesus taught in Matthew 25.
Jesus warns us about hiding away the gifts the Lord has given us, calling the one who does a “wicked and slothful servant!” Ouch.
I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather be like the other guys in the parable, the ones who get to hear ”Well done, good and faithful servant” at the end of their task.
Waiting is important.
Yielding to Jesus and checking our heart’s alignment to His is crucial. So is seeking wise counsel and taking time to plan, when appropriate. But don’t stop. Don’t get caught in a standstill asking for clarity or doubting your talents and hiding them away.
Are there seasons the Lord is calling you to park the car? Sure.
The thing is, our daily lives aren’t meant to stall out on the turn. (Proverbs 21:25, Romans 12:11)
We are meant to be doers, participants in our lives; not just onlookers as we stay fully stopped, watching the world make turns.
When Jesus got to work He set us free from captivity for all of eternity.
Even free from the thoughts that hold us back and the analysis paralysis and inactivity we confuse as waiting on the Lord.
Friend, life happens in the waiting and we can’t achieve His purpose for our time here on earth sitting around.
Right here in the in-between there is work to be done, lessons to be learned, life to live, and crucial love to share.
Matthew 10:39 tells us “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
What if we spent a little more time losing our lives rather than trying to find them?
What if we got to work, even in the waiting, modeling our lives after Jesus and doing the next thing we know will bring God glory rather than obsessing over which next thing is right?
Yield. Pause. Pray. Then get about the Father’s business sis.
EMILY WIELGOSZ
Emily Wielgosz is a writer of the love and grace of Jesus that He's shown and carried her through. She is showing up in sharing stories, pouring over the word, and where God calls her as He continues to undo all of the plans she had for her life. She’s an advocate for creating space for women and families to flourish in the name of God, a communication specialist, wife to Stanley and mother to Clara and William. You can connect with her at herstateofgrace.com and follow along at emily_wielgosz.
