当等待了太久时

嘿，当等待时间比我们预期的要长时，就可能会在属灵上陷入困境。说实话，任何的等待，都会感觉比自己想象的要漫长。因此，在等待的季节里，我们必须要学会一些”属灵的生存技能”来度过难关。

1. 花时间深情地祷告（即使感觉上太重复）
   撒母耳上第1章中，我们看到了渴望生养孩子的哈拿。祷告了那么多年，上帝仍然没有应允，她会不会想要放弃呢？并没有！即使经历多年的等待，哈拿仍然坚持不断地祷告——她的祷告是充满深情的，朴实、真诚。最终，哈拿的祷告引起了先知以利的注意。哈拿深情的祷告为她生下奇迹宝宝——撒母耳铺平了道路。
   
2. 花时间在上帝的话语中
   如果等待是一片沙漠，那么上帝的话语就是我们停下来补充水源的绿洲。当神在我们祷告电话的另一端保持沉默时，他的话语就是让我们继续保持联系并帮助我们找到他的声音的线索。当我们的道路蜿蜒进入”死荫的幽谷”时（诗篇23：4 ），圣经是我们脚前的灯，路上的光（诗篇119：105）。在等待的季节里，请你找一些对你“说话”的经文，并牢牢抓住它们，随时给你信心和希望。
   
3. 让等待的时间充满欢乐
   有时，当我们等待着我们“想要”的生活时，我们会忘记了去享受我们“已经拥有”的生活。你的生活可能会感到不完整和不完美，但请记住，每个人的生活都是不完整和不完美的！它仍然是一种生活——你的生活——上帝给你的礼物。在等待的季节里，去尝试新的爱好，对新的友谊保持开放的态度——这将给你的等待时间带来意义。
   
   等待的季节并不是让时间消逝，也不是我们愿望的终结。锻炼这些“属灵生存技能”将帮助我们在荒芜旷野的跋涉中生存下来，无论这等待之路是多么漫长，多么曲折。我们甚至可能在这个过程中留下一些快乐的回忆。如果我们不去创造记忆，我们就无法收获回忆。我祈祷，你能像哈拿一样，有勇气去追求属灵习惯，伴你度过等待。我祈祷，你像哈拿一样，在最意想不到的时候收获惊喜。
   
   让这些经文成为你路上的光吧：
   诗篇23
   诗篇119:105
   约翰福音10:10
   撒母耳记上1章
   撒母耳记上2:11

如果你想收到亚洲路德宗神学院的每周灵修邮件，请关注http://www.als.org.hk/ 或者留下你的邮箱，我们会联系您。基础神学课程CSC（基督教研究证书课程）将在2月底开课，现在报名，晚间线上课，时间自由灵活，适合工作人士，请联系baoming@protonmail.com咨询。

When the wait stretches longer than we were prepared for (and let’s be honest: any delay is longer than what we were prepared for!), we may begin to flounder spiritually. In seasons of waiting, we have to develop “spiritual survival skills” to see us through. 

1. Spend time in passionate prayer (even when it feels repetitive). 
   In 1 Samuel 1, we meet Hannah who longs for a baby. How tempting it must have been to give up on prayer, interpreting the long years of delay as a no from God! But even after many years of waiting, Hannah keeps praying—her prayers are passionate, raw, honest. In the end, Hannah’s prayers catch the prophet Eli’s attention. Passionate prayer paves the way for Hannah to have her miracle baby, Samuel. 
2. Spend time in God’s Word.
   If waiting is a desert, then God’s Word is the oasis where we pause to refresh our water supply. When God seems silent on the other end of our prayers, His Word is the cord that keeps us connected and helps us find His voice. When our path weaves down into the darkness of “the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4 KJV), the Bible is a lamp for our feet, a light on our path (Psalm 119:105). Find a few passages that speak to you during this season, and cling to them for faith and hope.
3. Make time for fun.
   Sometimes when we are waiting for the life we want, we forget to enjoy the life we already have. Life may feel incomplete and imperfect (and keep in mind, everyone’s life is incomplete and imperfect!), but it’s still a life. Your life. God’s gift to you. During seasons of waiting, try new hobbies and stay open to new friendships—this will give meaning to your in-between times.

Waiting seasons don’t have to be lost time, and they don’t have to be the end of us. Expanding our spiritual survival skills will help us survive our trek through the barren places, however long, however winding. We might even make some happy memories along the way. But we can’t make memories if we don’t go make them. I pray that, like Hannah, you find courage to pursue spiritual habits that see you through your wait. I pray that, like Hannah, blessing surprises you when you least expect it.