Part 2

Hello ,

There was also a prophet, Anna… She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 

Luke 2:36–37

Some waiting feels like holding your breath, hoping something changes. But there’s another kind of waiting—the kind that slowly shapes who you become.

Anna lived that kind of waiting.

She had known love. She had known loss. And then, for decades, she remained in the temple—not withdrawn from life, but deeply engaged with God. Fasting. Praying. Worshiping. Day after day, year after year. What stands out is not just that she was waiting—but that her waiting became a way of life.

There’s a difference between waiting for something… and becoming someone while you wait.

A man once committed to walking every morning before sunrise. At first, it was just discipline. He didn’t feel different. Didn’t see immediate results. But over time, something shifted. It wasn’t just a habit anymore—it became part of who he was. He didn’t have to convince himself to go. It was now his rhythm, his identity.

That’s what happened with Anna.

Waiting didn’t leave her empty. It formed her. It anchored her. It gave her a depth that only time with God can produce. So when the moment came—when the child Jesus was brought into the temple—she didn’t hesitate. She recognized Him. She spoke of Him. She had the clarity that only comes from a life consistently oriented toward God.

Many people think waiting is wasted time because nothing external is changing. But in the kingdom of God, waiting is often where the most important work happens—internal formation.

Patience is being built. 

Discernment is being sharpened. 

Stability is taking root.

And if nothing about you is changing while you wait, then you’re not really waiting on the Lord—you’re just enduring time.

Anna shows us something different.

She didn’t just pass the time. She invested it. She turned waiting into worship. And because of that, when fulfillment came, she was ready—not surprised, not scrambling, but steady.

Waiting on the Lord is not about inactivity. It’s about becoming aligned enough to recognize Him when He moves.

Musical Reflection: Standing on the Promises

Have a great day and God bless!

Pastor Mike / The Open Word