Day 1The Foundation of the Spiritual Life“Waiting patiently in expectation is the foundation of the spiritual life.” These are words from the French writer Simone Weil. I must confess, I don’t like these words one bit.
Waiting, for me, is not enjoyable. I’m a native New Yorker, so to hear that waiting is the foundation of the spiritual life unnerves me—and maybe you too.
But there’s no getting around it. Our waiting patiently is God’s laboratory for our transformation, and I’ve had to learn that the hard way.
There have been too many Christmas seasons when I’m frantically running up and down the mall on December 23 trying to pick up an item I should have purchased a few weeks before. Turns out I’m not the only one. During a recent holiday season, I took a trip to a New York mall, only to find out that all of Queens had the same idea. I had to wait to get into the parking lot. Wait to find a spot. Wait to get into the store. After amazingly finding my item, I stood in line to make the purchase. Then I repeated the process because I had three more stores to ransack.
At no point in my Christmas-shopping experience did I see people singing Christmas songs while waiting in line. People were angry, frustrated, and irritable. It was a mess. Some people (like myself) did all we could to avoid waiting, but I learned a spiritual lesson while at the mall: Everyone has to wait.
We do all we can to avoid waiting, but no matter what we do to circumvent or avoid it, at some point in our lives, we will have to wait. And God wants to use waiting to transform us.
There’s a story in the Gospels about a married couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth, who had to wait to have a baby (see Luke 1). When Luke, the gospel writer, described them, he went all out to highlight their obedience:
In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. (verses 5–6)
It’s noteworthy that Luke mentioned their religious power and lineage. A first-century Jew would probably think that because of how righteous they were, Zechariah and Elizabeth would have a great number of kids. In their culture, it was assumed that the size of your family reflected God’s favor. If you didn’t have kids, it was interpreted as a sign of his disapproval.
That’s why the next sentence in Luke’s account would have stunned his readers:
They were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. (verse 7)
How could this righteous couple be childless? Zechariah’s name means “whom the Lord remembers,” but, sadly, it feels more like God has forgotten them entirely.
At some point, Zechariah is chosen to perform temple duties on one of the most holy days, in the most holy part of the temple. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. When the day comes, as he’s praying, an angel named Gabriel appears and tells him God has heard his prayer. He will have a son (John the Baptist), who will prepare the way for the Messiah. This news is incredible. At their age, it’s truly a miracle.
But what I find particularly astonishing is their attitude toward God even in the painful waiting. They could have turned bitter and resentful. Instead, they held on to him in prayer. They did not get what they desperately desired and still remained faithful.
I’m sure their waiting was not perfect. And, dear friend, your waiting will not be perfect either. Even in the valley, it’s possible to stay connected to God while allowing yourself to feel all the feels. (Just read the book of Psalms.)
That is the essence of prayer.
Prayer is not about staying connected to God because of what he will give us; it is about remaining connected to him even when we don’t get what we want. Like he did for Zechariah and Elizabeth, God may bless you with what you’ve been longing for. But even if he doesn’t, his affection is set upon you, and none of your waiting is wasted.
ReflectPrepare: Spend two minutes in silence and stillness before God.
Prayer for Presence: Lord Jesus, in this moment, I believe you want to speak to me in a deep and personal way. May I be attentive to your loving and merciful voice.
Scripture | Luke 1:5–25
Guide: A waiting person is a patient person. The word “patience” means the willingness to stay where we are and live the situation out to the full in the belief that something hidden there will manifest itself to us. Impatient people are always expecting the real thing to happen somewhere else and therefore want to go elsewhere. The moment is empty. But patient people dare to stay where they are. Patient living means to live actively in the present and wait there. Waiting, then, is not passive. It involves nurturing the moment, as a mother nurtures the child that is growing in her womb.
—Henri Nouwen
Question: Which part of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s story do you identify with in this season? Have you been waiting on the Lord for something but it feels like he isn’t listening? Or, on the flip side, have you seen God provide in a miraculous way? Spend a few minutes reflecting, praying, or writing what you sense God is speaking to your heart.
Closing Prayer: May the Lord bless us and keep us and cause his face to shine upon us from this day forth and forevermore. Amen.
Copyright © 2025 by Rich Villodas. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
