A mature watcher will not allow a passed high watch date to determine their faith in, and love for, the Lord. The emotional letdown of an extended season of waiting on and for the Lord will only create a new opportunity for God to show up stronger in your life. A waiting season can be a difficult season, especially when it’s prolonged and a person feels like they are hanging on by their fingernails.
Many believers forget that the real reason that they are discouraged over a past high watch date has less to do with their longing to escape from their life predicaments, and more to do with their love for the Lord. To put this another way, believers who truly love the Lord are in love with Jesus and they want to be with Him in heaven. It’s a love story that is as old as time itself. The good news here is that Jesus wants to be with us more than we want to be with Him. He demonstrated this in an act of love that was revealed on the cross at Calvary. I would dare say that I would have NOT done the same for Him in my fallen state.
“For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” – Romans 5:7-9
I’ve lost a lot in this life, but nothing that will ever separate me from God’s love for me. Sure I am disappointed over a passed high watch, but as I lean into that loss, I can see new aspects of the hope I have in Jesus. As a believer, I have a hope that one day this will all be over and we will finally be home with the Lord. I ponder what those folks out their who don’t have a valid faith in Jesus or the hope that He offers them in His Word.
Paul reminds us, “For we know that if our earthly house (physical body), this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee (earnest payment). 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” – 2 Corinthians 5:1-7
While I could preach a blue streak sermon on this passage, suffice it to say that we are not the only ones in the NT era who have been looking and longing for the Lord. The passage speaks for itself. What I offer in this blog has more to do with coming to terms with those losses in this life and letting them go; thus leaning into the deficit that the loss may leave. Whatever it may be, it’s temporary at best.
As believers in Jesus, we have something to look forward to. As we crossed over into 2026, many of us were not as excited or hope-filled as to what this year may or may not bring. Many of us are hoping that this could be the year of the Lord’s return. We feel this every year; but things have never been as they are right now. I find that waiting on the Lord for His next best thing is the hardest thing for me. I want what I want and I want it now. I am a fan of a quick meal, especially when I am hungry. I like to not wait in line for things. I remember back in the day when I was on the job, I was driving a police car with three other officers one morning on the way to a training session and coming on to some rush hour traffic. I commented, ‘At least the company in this car is good.’ My point was that when we have wait for something, try and make the most of it. This is my version of leaning into the loss, whatever or however it may manifest.
If we’re going to wait on the Lord, let’s enjoy the process as best we can. Let’s look for the glimpses that God offers us as proverbial bread crumbs that lead us to something better. I encourage you today, slow your roll as you wait and watch for the Lord. You just might learn something in the waiting process.
Maranatha!
Encourage Men 